And the Heart is Brave
by EmmyPeters
Summary: An Elizabeth and Nathan fanfic, taking place after the Christmas episode.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's (very long) note: I'm back with my second WCTH fanfic. My first,"Season 7 Before Season 7", I wrote before the recent Christmas episode and the strange thing is, even just after that one episode I see a lot of things differently! For example, Allie appears a lot older already than I wrote her and there have been some small clues in the Christmas show that I think are important for the upcoming season. So I have been playing with the ideas in my head and finally just decided to write them down (I have also been posting comments on the WCTH fan facebook page (under a different name) and I think my postings are veering into fanfic territory there anyway, so if you have read something there that sounds like something I write here, it's just me again! lol)_

_Basically what I am going to be doing here is offering up another version of upcoming events on WCTH, picking up a bit after the Christmas episode. There might be some overlap with my first story, or similar themes, but I don't think I'll be using exact chapters (but who knows!). I guess I'm just asking readers to go with the flow with what I'm doing._

_Some clues we've been given in the Christmas show that I'll be using (also some mentions about things in cast interviews)...so possible SPOILER ALERT for anyone not up on those...here they are..._

_\- I think the compass Bill gave to Elizabeth for Little Jack is important and I'll be using it in my story_

_\- Kevin McGarry mentioned in an interview that there might be a connection between Nathan and Jack, so I have imagined one and will be writing it_

_\- another interview mentioned Nathan's father coming to Hope Valley, so I will be writing that_

_\- Allie looks a lot older now, so I will (hopefully) be writing her older with some issues she might be having more in line with her age_

_\- and then a few surprises of my own :) _

_I'm also going to concentrate predominately on the Elizabeth and Nathan story. I tried juggling the other characters in my other story and it is really difficult! Kudos to the actual show writers, but for me this time I will focus on just the one couple. Of course the other characters will appear but they won't be as developed._

_So if you're game, and if you like the E/N pairing, please come along on my story. I never really got to get to the fun stuff with them in my other story and I want to now. If you're not an E/N fan, please choose another story to read, there are so many here in the forum for all fans to enjoy, and negative comments because you dislike the pairing aren't really helpful to me the writer or other fans who want to read the story. _

_Anyway, thank you if you've read this far, and I hope you enjoy my story! As always, the show and characters belong to Crown Media and I am only borrowing them for entertainment purposes._

_x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x_

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 1

Elizabeth Thornton placed the stack of small folded shirts inside the bureau drawer in her son's room. Her hand brushed past a small box carefully placed inside a folded hankerchief that lay inside the drawer and she paused a moment from her chore to retrieve the item. She placed the box on top of the bureau and peeled back the folds of cloth, lifting the lid off the box and staring down at the compass inside.

Bill Avery had given it to her many months ago. Well, he'd given it to Little Jack really. It was his, a memento of his father, the man he'd never get to meet, a token meant to illustrate that Little Jack's father would never be far away and that even though he was gone he would somehow watch over his son. It was a sweet and sentimental gesture that Bill had made and the corner of Elizabeth's mouth lifted in a small tender smile as she lifted the compass from the box and brushed her thumb across its surface, remembering the moment.

Soon she let out a sigh and placed the compass back into its box and refolded the cloth around it, placing it back into the drawer and closing it. It was Saturday, a busy day to catch up on housework, the laundry and so much more that she was unable to do throughout the week and she had little time right now for sentimental indulgences. She'd even had Laura, her nanny, come by today to help out, even though it was outside of her normal Monday to Friday hours, to hopefully get more accomplished in this one day. She knew that Laura and her family could use the extra money and Elizabeth knew for certain she could use the extra help.

As Elizabeth descended the stairs from her son's room, she smiled as she spotted Laura wiping down the table, then her eyes scanned the room, looking for her son. Little Jack was at the front window, standing with his hands hanging from the sill, barely high enough to see over it and through the glass. His gaze was intently fixed outside.

"What is Little Jack doing?" Elizabeth mused out loud. Her son was barely a year and a half and it was amusing to see him so transfixed, so immobile as he stared outside, when he was usually a whirlwind of motion.

Laura looked up from her task to look over her shoulder towards Little Jack. "I think he's waiting for Mountie Nathan," she informed Elizabeth matter-of-factly.

"What?" Elizabeth said, shocked and surprised.

"Mountie Nathan," Laura repeated, then corrected herself to the more formal appellation. "Constable Grant," she said. "He usually comes by around this time on his rounds, but Little Jack doesn't know it's Saturday and that he won't be by."

"Really?" Elizabeth said, swinging her glance from Laura to her son still standing at the window as she tried to process this bit of information. "Constable Grant comes here around this time on weekdays you mean? When he does his rounds?" she asked for clarification. Elizabeth was in school teaching on weekdays, so this was the first she knew about the specifics of Nathan's rounds.

"Hmm, mmm," Laura answered in the positive.

"And what does he do when he comes around?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh, he just asks if things are okay and then usually gives Little Jack something," Laura replied.

Elizabeth's brow furrowed with puzzlement. "Gives Little Jack something? Like what?" she asked.

Laura left the dishrag on the table and brushed her hands down her apron before heading to the side bureau. She crouched down and opened the bottom drawer. "Like this," she answered, swiveling from her position to look up at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth joined her at the bureau, crouching beside her. She took in the contents of the drawer with wonder and asked, "Laura, what is all this?"

"Just some of the things the constable brought. I guess they are kind of piling up," she acknowledged.

Elizabeth stared down at the contents of the drawer. Such a wide assortment of things. There was a paper pinwheel fashioned onto a stick, some ribbon in one spot, a ball in another. A cut-out paper snowflake. Some of the items were just mundane everyday things, like that wooden ruler over there and was that...was that a rock she saw? She reached for it.

"Constable Grant gave Little Jack a painted rock?" she asked, staring at it in her hand,still incredulous and trying to figure this all out.

"No, it was just a rock when he gave it to him but Little Jack liked it so much I let him paint it. Was that okay?" Laura responded.

"Of course, it's just...," Elizabeth trailed off, shaking her head as she looked back into the drawer, a veritable pirate's chest of boyhood treasures.

"Oh, look at this one!" Laura exclaimed, a bit excited herself. She pulled out what looked like a tiny frog cleverly fashioned in three dimensions from a bit of green paper, a bend in the paper for legs. Laura set it on the floor beside them. "Look what this does," she said to Elizabeth, pressing on the bend and then quickly releasing her finger which caused the paper frog to jump a few inches.

Elizabeth couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips. "That's delightful!" she enthused. She...she would have to get Nathan to show her how he made that. It might even be something her students would enjoy too, she thought, this paper folding. But then she forced her thoughts back to the matter at hand.

So Nathan Grant was stopping by on weekdays on his rounds, and bringing Little Jack treasures. But wait a minute. Didn't he do rounds on Saturdays too? A Mountie's job wasn't just Monday to Friday. "But he doesn't come on Saturdays?" she wondered aloud.

"No, he doesn't," Laura agreed, offering another observation. "He never comes when you're here," she said.

Elizabeth tilted her head, trying to piece it together, as she moved to the window, distracting her son from the view outside and drawing him back into the room and towards a favourite stuffed toy, while she thought some more on the situation. Nathan had his rounds to do, of course, that was natural. He was the town's Mountie and it was his job to keep things safe. But that he would go out of his way to check on the rowhouses, and to do it when Elizabeth wasn't around, that's what was puzzling. Although Elizabeth had to admit a part of her was grateful. Grateful he was checking on Laura and Little Jack, making sure things were alright when they were alone here at the rowhouse. But then there was the fact that he was obviously bringing her son little gifts each time. And only on weekdays apparently. But today was Saturday and it was two days until Monday and presumably Nathan's next visit. Elizabeth was already developing a plan in her mind. She looked up at the clock, noting the time. She would get to the bottom of this mystery...

On Monday.


	2. Chapter 2

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 2

It was early Monday afternoon that Elizabeth stood in her rowhouse, suddenly swirling around at the sound of Little Jack at the window, banging his hands on the sill while emitting excited squeals. He was looking outside, obviously excited at what he saw.

Elizabeth brushed up behind him, stooping slightly to pull back the curtain and peer outside. Unsurprisingly, she caught a glimpse of a red serge coat making it's way down the line of rowhouses in their direction.

"Ah ha," she thought, knowing the moment of truth had arrived, just as she'd planned. She'd given her students at school a late lunch today, and had asked Rosemary to supervise the lunch hour and outdoor play, saying merely that she had a few errands to attend to.

But she had no errands. She'd come home instead and now, with Laura hanging laundry in the rear yard, she scooped Little Jack up into her arms and headed out onto the front porch.

Nathan Grant came up short at the sight of Elizabeth Thornton on her front porch, her son propped on a hip. "Elizabeth! What are you doing here?" he asked in surprise, then realized how inane that sounded. Questioning why a person was at their own home.

Elizabeth stared back at Nathan, something of a challenge in her eyes. "Oh, I just thought I'd come home for lunch today," she replied, deceptively casual. Using one hand to raise her skirts, Elizabeth descended the stairs and came towards Nathan, stopping a few feet away, then set her son on the ground. "I see you're...you're doing your rounds," she commented, again casual, but something in her tone inviting explanation.

Nathan took off his hat, in deference to Elizabeth's presence, then rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed now. "Um yeah," he replied looking away before returning his eyes to hers.

"Laura tells me you come by most every day," Elizabeth supplied the leading statement.

"Um yeah," Nathan replied again, without expansion.

Elizabeth sighed. Did the man ever string more than two words together? "And that you bring Little Jack something or other," Elizabeth kept trying, prodding for answers.

Suddenly realizing where this might be going, Nathan quickly apologized. "Elizabeth, I'm sorry, I hope that's okay. I hope you don't mind that I..." he trailed off, glancing down at the small boy who was staring up at the two adults above him. "He seems to like it," Nathan added, referring to the small insignificant trinkets he'd taken to bringing with him on his rounds to the rowhouses.

"Nathan, of course I don't mind!" Elizabeth replied. What was there to mind? That he kept an eye out on Laura and Little Jack when she was gone all day? That he brought little gifts with him to brighten a small boy's afternoon? What she minded was that he'd done it for some time now and apparently wanted to keep it a secret from her. "I was just surprised to find out about it," Elizabeth said.

Nathan rolled his head uncomfortably and expelled his breath. He knew she was asking him the why of it. "Elizabeth, I just...," he paused, finding the wording difficult. "I just didn't want you to think I was trying to win any favours," he finally said, squinting his eyes slightly into hers, his gaze direct and focused, not sure if the words had come out right or if she'd understand.

But Elizabeth was nodding her head slightly. In hindsight, she didn't really know why she'd even questioned him in the first place. She should have known Nathan wasn't a man to use a child to his advantage. That was not his way. Whatever he had done was to please Little Jack and Little Jack alone, and not to impress his mother or anyone else. That integrity was one of many things she was learning about Nathan the longer he was here and the longer she knew him.

"Well, it's...it's very kind of you," Elizabeth finally said, and Nathan let out his breath in relief. She was okay with it then.

"Well, it's not like I planned any of it," Nathan said. "It just sort of happened accidentally."

Elizabeth smiled. "Oh? How was that?"

"Well, I was just doing my rounds and a few times I just happened to give him something nearby, you know, a leaf or a stick or a rock or something, and then those times I didn't, he seemed kinda disappointed," Nathan explained. "So I just made it a habit to start bringing something with me. You know, it's my duty to please the citizenry," he said, half serious, half joking.

Elizabeth let out a small laugh. Did her small son have this six foot two Mountie wrapped around his finger? Elizabeth shook her head from side to side, smiling, thinking it was quite possible.

Seeing her smile, Nathan returned one of his own. Just then, Little Jack, growing impatient as he waited, tugged at the bottom half of Nathan's pant leg and peered up at him expectantly. Feeling the tug, Nathan looked down on the child's upturned face."Oh! Speaking of duty..." Nathan trailed off, lifting the flap over one of his jacket pockets and withdrawing a small wooden figure. He crouched before Little Jack and held it out to him.

Little Jack took the proffered item and let out a squeal of delight. "Look, Mama!" he exclaimed, thrusting his arm and the figure up in the air, back in her direction, inviting her inspection.

"I see!" replied Elizabeth, her mouth forming a small ooh, reveling in her son's delight, but her eyes were widened in slight shock as well. The figure Nathan had brought was a little horse, carefully carved with intricate detail. This wasn't some leaf, or stick or rock. "Nathan..." Elizabeth looked up to meet Nathan's eyes as he rose to stand, a slight admonishment in hers.

"Um..." Nathan was embarrassed again. "It's just something I carved at night. It didn't take long, really," he downplayed the gift. "You know, it gives me something to do, at night, after Allie's asleep," he said, but there was something in his gaze, something that Elizabeth recognized. She knew those nights too. When Little Jack had gone to sleep, and the house was quiet, with no one to talk to. Elizabeth's eyes softened as she looked back at him, and they both paused a moment as they stared at each other, more than just a look passing between them, more an understanding, a commiseration of something shared.

"Besides," Nathan finally said. "You caught me on a good day. Tomorrow it'll be another rock," he teased, as Elizabeth laughed out loud. "Little Jack seems happy with whatever I give him," Nathan conceded, it didn't matter if it was a carved horse one day or a rock the next, the child was delighted with either. "He's a very happy and contented little boy," Nathan observed, his gaze dropping to the child who was fiddling with the toy horse in his hand.

"Yes, he is," Elizabeth agreed, smiling and pleased. So very pleased at Nathan's observation. It was every mother's wish and joy to raise a happy child.

Nathan inhaled. "Well, what child wouldn't be happy with you as their mother," he said, then suddenly scratched his neck in embarrassment again. He hadn't meant to do that, say aloud what he'd been thinking, he hadn't wanted to burden her with what he thought might be an unwanted compliment. "Um, look, I better be getting back to my rounds," he said.

"Yes, of course," Elizabeth agreed, still somewhat flustered by Nathan's unexpected comment. She watched Nathan crouch once more before the child and give him a gentle tap under his chin with the edge of a finger.

"See you tomorrow, okay?" he asked to Little Jack's serious nod of reply. Nathan smiled, then rose. He placed his hat on his head, looked at Elizabeth and touched the brim, before he turned to go.

Elizabeth watched Nathan walk down the path past the rowhouses. It really was a very sweet gesture he had made for Little Jack. Carving that little horse. It was a sweet gesture, she thought, and then Elizabeth had another thought. That it wasn't only Nathan's gesture that was sweet.

He was too.


	3. Chapter 3

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 3

"So you and Lucas have been thick as thieves lately. Anything I should know about?" Rosemary Coulter pressed her hands together hopefully as she teased her friend inside the small rowhouse.

"Rosemary, you know Lucas and I are just friends!" Elizabeth replied, as she reached behind herself to untie her apron. She was readying herself to head over the library and meet Lucas there. Rosemary had come to watch Little Jack for her while she was gone. "We're working on my book together and that's ALL it is," Elizabeth reinforced the facts to her somewhat busybody friend, as she folded the apron and placed it on the table.

Rosemary's countenance took on a bit of a pout at her reply and Elizabeth had to suppress her laughter at her friend's disappointment. A natural matchmaker did not like to hear the words "only friends" anywhere in their vicinity. But that's all Lucas was. A friend. And in this case, a very helpful friend.

Elizabeth's book was soon to be published and it was in large part due to Lucas' help. That is why she was meeting him today. To arrange a small gathering at the town library in celebration of the book's release. This had all started 6 months ago when she'd mentioned to Lucas that in her spare time in the evenings she wrote short stories. In fact, Jack had once compiled some of her stories into a custom book for her, but she had never had anything professionally published. Not until Lucas had mentioned he had a few connections in the publishing industry and that had gotten the ball rolling. From there things had happened very quickly and now her book would soon be published. But this was all old news to Rosemary Coulter. Today she was more interested to find out if Elizabeth had any more personal news to share.

"Well, if not Lucas, then perhaps someone else has caught your eye?" Rosemary asked, not one to give up in search of answers.

If the question about Lucas had brought a denial, this time Rosemary's question brought a blush to Elizabeth's face. She groaned inwardly, knowing the sudden colour to her cheeks would give her away. Rosemary had such eagle eyes.

"Oooh!" Rosemary exclaimed with glee at Elizabeth's countenance, happy as a dog discovering a hidden bone. "And would that someone's initials be NG?" Rosemary teased, taking a step closer to Elizabeth as Elizabeth blushed more. Rosemary had only mentioned Lucas first because Elizabeth spent so much time with him, but she knew that Nathan Grant was a distinct possibility as well.

"Rosemary..." Elizabeth trailed off warningly as she shook her head, unable to meet Rosemary's eyes.

"What? A friend can't ask a simple question?" she protested. Wasn't that the second or third rule of friendship? To ask annoyingly personal questions? And Rosemary Coulter was certainly not about to shirk her duty in that department.

"It's a not a simple question," Elizabeth countered quietly. And it wasn't. These new feelings that had recently started to develop within her left her confused and conflicted.

"Elizabeth?" Rosemary suddenly switched from teasing to serious, seeing something in her friend's demeanour as she closed the distance between them and touched Elizabeth's arm. "Elizabeth, do you have feelings for Nathan?" she asked, entirely serious now. The teasing she'd done these past months about any romantic attachments Elizabeth might have was now put aside, as Rosemary could see that something had shifted in Elizabeth regarding the matter. "Do you feel something for him?" she asked again.

Elizabeth looked past her and gave a slight head shake, rubbing her hands down her dress. "I don't know. I don't know what I'm feeling. I don't think it matters. I don't think he's interested," she stated, bringing her gaze down.

"Not interested?" Rosemary hmpffed in annoyance. "Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?" she chided dryly. Seeing that remark did little to convince Elizabeth of her beauty and appeal to any man, Rosemary tried another tact. "What makes you think he's not interested?" she asked instead.

Elizabeth shrugged lightly. What had Nathan said at Christmas when he'd been offered a promotion in Union City? There was nothing holding him here. Or words to that effect. Oh, she knew he'd eventually decided to stay in Hope Valley, but that was for Allie. It had nothing to do with her.

Sometimes there was a look her way, the intensity of his gaze, to make her think he might feel something too, but there were never any words or actions to back it up. And it was hard to put any reliance on a look. Therein lay the confusion part.

"And even if he did feel something, I don't know that anything would come of it," Elizabeth continued, beginning to outline the conflicted part.

"What do you mean?" Rosemary scanned her friend's face, reading the emotions flickering across it.

"I mean...he's a Mountie," Elizabeth said, biting her lip. "And I don't know that I..." she faltered. "I don't know that I could...with a Mountie..." she finally got out.

Rosemary nodded sympathetically, understanding all too well. Although Jack had been gone for over two years now, Rosemary doubted that the pain of something like that ever truly went away or that Elizabeth would want to open herself up to the possibility again.

"Nathan is a very nice man, a very kind man," Elizabeth said simply, vocalizing her growing admiration and regard for him. "And I'm glad he's my friend," she said, a slight emphasis on that last word. Even if that was all they were, all they would ever would be, how could she not be grateful for that? she wondered, her eyes taking on a faraway look. Elizabeth shook her head, bringing herself back to the moment. "It's time I got going," she said, bringing the conversation to an end, and suddenly turning towards the door in a flurry of motion. "I won't be long. There are some muffins beside the stove if you or Little Jack get hungry," she called over her shoulder as she opened the front door. Rosemary watched her leave, a thoughtful expression on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 4

Nathan Grant stopped outside the library building, hearing the boisterous laughter from inside. He was doing his rounds so it wasn't only the laughter that drew him up the library stairs to the front door. He opened the door and stepped inside. Immediately he spotted Elizabeth Thornton and Lucas Bouchard seated at one of the larger tables, their heads close together as they poured over papers scattered in front of them, enjoying a hearty laugh over some shared joke.

Looking up simultaneously at the new arrival, Elizabeth and Lucas's laughter dimmed as they regarded Nathan with questioning eyes.

"Everything okay in here?" Nathan asked, his eyes scanning around the room, but there were no other occupants, just these two. But he was just doing his duty, wasn't he? Checking on things around town?

"Everything's fine," Lucas replied, somewhat dryly. There had always been a slight animosity between the two men, and Elizabeth didn't know why. They were both fine, honourable men and it seemed to her if they'd only let their guard down with each other that one day they might even be friends. But obviously today was not that day.

"Good," Nathan replied curtly, and made to leave. Immediately, Elizabeth shot out of her chair to follow him. She caught up to him just as he was about to descend the stairs.

"Nathan! Nathan wait!" she called, as Nathan halted, one foot on the top step, the other on the step below. He swiveled in her direction, a question on his face.

Elizabeth came up alongside him and unconsciously mimicked his stance, one foot on the top step, another on the one just below, as she faced him. "Nathan, I was just wondering if you are coming on Saturday?" she asked, referring to the do at the library for her book.

Nathan was nodding. "Allie and I will be there," he said.

"Good," Elizabeth said, well pleased, as she shot him a smile and a look indicating her pleasure. Nathan braced himself against the pain that shot through him at her look. "So I'll see you then?" she reaffirmed his presence.

Nathan nodded, his eyes flickering with some unexpressed emotion. "Good," Elizabeth said again, then turned happily away, back up to the library doors and disappearing inside.

Nathan watched her go, staring at the door long after she had gone inside, then turned abruptly to hurry down the stairs and across the street towards his office.

Inside the library, Elizabeth slid into her spot next to Lucas as he shuffled through some papers before them. "So, cupcakes or finger sandwiches?" he asked, finalizing the details of the book celebration.

Elizabeth smiled. "Cupcakes," she announced her decision. "Definitely cupcakes."

"Right. Cupcakes it is," Lucas agreed with a smile.

"So Lucas," Elizabeth began in a teasing voice. "Are you bringing anyone with you on Saturday?" she asked slyly, as Lucas groaned inwardly. .

"I might be," Lucas answered evasively.

"And do I know this person?" Elizabeth teased. Oh, Rosemary was training her well.

"You might," Lucas conceded. He didn't quite know when this kind of ribbing had begun between the two of them, but it seemed to come up more and more of late. Perhaps if he'd had a sister he'd have been more readily able to identify it, but he had no sister, at least not one related by blood. "I believe it's possible Miss Miller might turn up on Saturday coincidentally at the same time as myself," Lucas said, not above a bit of mischievous teasing himself.

Elizabeth laughed out loud. "Coincidence my foot!" she called him out. "I like Fiona, Lucas," Elizabeth told him, a bit more serious, conveying her approval, that is, if Lucas needed or wanted it. "I like her a lot."

"Coincidentally, so do I," Lucas said playfully and Elizabeth laughed out loud.

"So, are things progressing as they should?" Elizabeth asked, wondering just how serious things between Lucas and Fiona were getting.

Lucas let out a suffering sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "If by 'progressing' you mean she's got me so tied in knots so I never know whether I'm coming or going, and me thinking half the time she's the most impossible woman on the earth, and the other that she's...she's...not, then yeah, I think things are progressing. Does that sound like it to you?" he asked, shaking his head, summing up the current state of his relationship with one Miss Fiona Miller. A relationship both so confounding and rewarding as to be confounding!

Elizabeth laughed. "Yeah," she smiled at him. "That sounds about right," she laughed again, amused but pleased too. Pleased and happy for Lucas. "Only Lucas..." Elizabeth started, her voice subtly shifting more serious and her eyes took on a dreamy look.

"Only what?" Lucas prodded at Elizabeth's hesitation.

"Only...if I could offer a bit of advice?" she asked "If you wouldn't think I was interfering..." she trailed off.

"Elizabeth, of course not! What is it?" Lucas asked, curious now more than anything on what she had to say.

"It's just...just...Lucas, big gestures are wonderful and exciting and fun," she began, thinking of all the times Lucas had planned and executed grandiose ideas. Some of his very early ones were for her, she knew that, although later they had shifted to ones for the town as things had settled into their destined order. "But sometimes...," Elizabeth was choosing her words. "Sometimes it's the little gestures that mean the most to a woman. Don't forget the little gestures too Lucas," she told him.

For all their earlier teasing, Lucas could sense now that Elizabeth was trying to convey something important to him, and he nodded, taking heed. "I'll do that, Elizabeth," he said quietly. "I'll remember."

"Good," Elizabeth replied, satisfied. "Now let's get back to the cupcakes. Chocolate or vanilla?" she asked.

"Chocolate!" they both said in unison, breaking into new fits of laughter.

_A/N: thank you for all the wonderful comments on my story so far! They are so very lovely to read and a huge motivator to keep going._


	5. Chapter 5

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 5

Nathan Grant crossed the street after leaving the library and entered the Mountie office. He slammed the door shut behind him, something dark in his countenance. His tossed his hat across the room, his fingers jerkily working the button at the neck of his red surge coat. He expelled a breath of relief when it finally released open. He knew he should sit, try to calm down, but he couldn't and he began to pace around the small room, the room almost too small to contain the combination of his height and stature and motion, his boots scuffing heavily across the wooden floors as he moved from one place to another.

It was the sight of Elizabeth Thornton that had done it. Caused this sudden explosive turmoil. But when she'd looked at him like that on the steps of the library it had been his undoing. That simple look. So pleased simply because he was coming on Saturday. That one look had torn through him and seared his very innards with white hot pain.

The jealousy he was used to. But not this. This was some new insidious torture heaped onto his already strained shoulders. Nathan rubbed his jaw, prickly with regrowth from his morning's shave. He let out a long low sigh and felt himself calming, his pulse slowing. Finally, he moved behind his desk and sat down. He leaned forward on his elbows and began to rub his face, his eyes, suddenly weary. Weary of it all, tired of everything, especially the secrets.

But he would just have to continue on, as he always had, and always would. With the pain and jealousy because there was no other answer for it. And it's not that he was jealous of Lucas per se, if Lucas truly did have Elizabeth's heart. It wasn't just that. He was jealous of what Lucas could give her. Give Elizabeth. The things that he couldn't. Even if he weren't already denied the chance because of duty and honour. Even if he were free of those, he still could not give her what Lucas did. That lightness, that laughter back there. It's what Elizabeth deserved, after the hell she'd been through.

But nothing about him was light. His was darkness. All of it. What had happened to his sister, the situation with his father, his childhood, even his job. It was dark, all of it. The only lightness was Allie and even that was tainted. He knew his circumstances weren't ideal, a single Mountie raising a child, and he did the best he could for her but there was always the fear it wasn't enough.

It did not occur to Nathan that the lack of lightness about him was due almost entirely to circumstance, not nature. That if he was reserved and stoic it was because he'd had little opportunity to be or do otherwise.

But that didn't really matter now. All he knew was that Elizabeth deserved all the happiness out there to be found. All the laughter and lightness. He thought back to that day, more than two years ago now, when she was the picture of anything but lightness. She, in her widow's weeds, was the most tortured embodiment of grief he had ever seen. It was a scene seared into his mind and heart. That day. One he would never forget.

Jack's funeral.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: In my long-winded author's note at the beginning of this story I forgot another clue I noticed from the Christmas episode that I think might develop into something in season 7. Here's my version of it. I can totally see this happening, and I'm all for it! Let me know in the comments if you saw it too! Please forgive a few author indulgences in this chapter. It was very, very late when I wrote this and I was definitely feeling my oats (does anyone even use that expression anymore?)_

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 6

"Molly! Molly, put down that duster!" Bill Avery shouted in annoyance, ducking and waving his arm over his head as he tried to ward off the feathery weapon of Molly Sullivan as she dusted the shelves behind his desk with vigorous flourish. Bill was sitting in his judge's office, a mountainous pile of paperwork in front of him, one hand waving Molly away and the other holding the earpiece of the telephone to his head.

"No, no!" Bill shouted, this time not to Molly but into the phone receiver standing on the desk in front of him. "I won't reschedule the case again! Tell your client to be there at 9 sharp tomorrow or I'll issue a warrant for his arrest," Bill barked, annoyed, hanging up the phone with more force than was needed. He was presiding over a case in Union City tomorrow and he wasn't about to have it postponed again for the defendant's convenience and at the expense of his.

"Molly, I said watch the duster!" Bill said, waving his hand, as the aforementioned weapon came just inches from his head.

Molly Sullivan, a comely attractive redhead (OK SHE DESERVES THAT! SO SUE ME!), hmpffed in response to Bill Avery's orders and moved over to another wall of the office, resuming her cleaning duties away from the testy temperament of Judge Avery.

As Bill began searching through the documents on his desk, flipping folders and spreading papers, growing more frustrated by the second, Molly watched him from the corner of her eye, shaking her head and giving a slight roll of her eye. "Bottom left drawer, blue file," she said to him.

"What?" Bill asked, looking up, hardly hearing her.

Molly turned fully towards him. "The folder you're looking for. Bottom left drawer, blue file," she repeated.

A bit stunned, Bill pulled open the bottom drawer to his left. He reached down and pulled out a blue file, noting the name affixed to it. "Molly, this is the exact file I was looking for! How did you know?" he asked, a bit incredulous.

"You have a court case in Union City tomorrow morning. Now what else would you be looking for?" Molly reasoned her guess about the case file folder, as if any two year old child could have figured it out.

"Um, well, thanks," Bill said gruffly (TRUE FACT: IF YOU LOOK UP THE WORD 'GRUFF' IN THE DICTIONARY THERE'S A PHOTO OF BILL AVERY THERE. FACT. OK I'LL STOP HAVING FUN NOW)

"You're welcome," Molly replied sweetly, returning to her dusting.

It was not even 10 seconds later that the phone on Bill's desk began to jingle loudly. Bill looked at it and contorted his mouth into something of a snarl. How was he supposed to get anything done with that dang nuisance interrupting him all the time?

As the phone continued to ring unanswered, Molly glanced over at Bill, noting he was making no move to answer it, his face merely frozen in a snarl as he glared at the phone. Or maybe that was just his normal expression, Molly wasn't sure. It was hard to tell with Bill Avery. (OK SO I WASN'T DONE HAVING FUN)

"Bill, aren't you going to...?" Molly trailed off the question, meeting his eyes to point from him to the phone and back, her eyes making a similar trek. Bill's only response was to let out a long suffering sigh. Tentatively, Molly approached the desk. "Bill, do you want me to...?" she asked, this time pointing between herself and the phone several times, wondering if he wanted her to answer in his stead.

"Would you?" Bill asked, his voice now softly pleading (OK I MIGHT HAVE TO REWORD THAT...DOES 'SOFTLY PLEADING' REALLY WORK FOR BILL? I PROMISE I'M DONE THIS TIME)

At Bill's agreement, Molly set down her duster and reached over to lift the phone from Bill's desk with one hand, and bring the earpiece to her ear with the other. "Judge Avery's office," she announced into the receiver. She listened a moment on the line, then said, "Yes, put them through." Another second and then Molly repeated to the transferred caller, "Judge Avery's office." She listened a moment, then replied, "Yes. Yes. No. I"m sorry, the Judge is out of the office until..." Molly swung around to look at the clock, "...until 2pm. Would you like to call back then or can I take a message?" Some more listening, then Molly suddenly set the receiver on the desk and leaned over, snapping her fingers silently. Understanding she was looking for a pencil, Bill began the hunt for one with her, through the mountainous chaos that was his desktop, before Molly suddenly pulled one out from under some papers. She began jotting down some words on a blank sheet nearby. "Yes, I got all that. I'll see the Judge gets the message. Yes. You're welcome. Good bye." Molly placed the earpiece back onto the receiver, then straightened up.

"Molly, that was wonderful," Bill said with something like awe in his voice. "But I'm right here," he said, spreading his hands wide, palms up in question that she'd told the caller he was out.

"No, you're not," Molly countered. "You're over at the cafe having your lunch," she informed him brightly. "Now off you go," she ordered, making a shooing motion with her hands. "I'll answer any calls that come in while you're gone. If it's important I'll come get you. If not, I'll take a message," she told him.

"Molly!" Bill exclaimed at how smoothly, how cleverly she had finagled him a lunchtime break. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd managed anything but a quick bite at his desk.

"No, no, go," Molly ordered again, as Bill rose, not about to miss the opportunity. "You can thank me later!" she called to Bill's back as he hustled towards the door, not quite believing his luck that he would actually get a hot meal today. Clara was doing the cooking today, since his judgeship was taking up more and more of his time, so that made it even better, that he would enjoy her cooking and not his own.

As Bill Avery left his office, the door falling closed behind him, Molly turned to look at the mountain of papers and folders on Bill's desk. Now it was her turn to snarl with distaste at the view, she even added an arched brow of disgust, before she first picked up one paper and then another and another and got to work.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

When Bill Avery returned to his office an hour later, he was met with a very different desk than the one he'd left behind. All the papers and folders were neatly organized, his weekly appointment calendar lay open (At least he thought that's what it was. He'd never used it before. He just wrote everything on scraps of paper, that apparently Molly had now transcribed onto the calendar), and there was even a small dish and glass holding all his pencils and other office supplies. Along the side, near the phone, was a row of small squares of paper...phone messages from when he was out, neatly piled and arranged by time.

"Molly, did you do all this?" Bill asked, the second time today his voice was incredulous.

Molly nodded lightly, realizing Bill was pleased, and for some reason that pleased her too. Just then, the phone rang and Molly leaned over and reached a hand towards it, pausing to look up at Bill with the question, "May I?"

"Of course," Bill replied, gesturing with his arms and hands out, as if to say 'it's all yours'.

"Judge Avery's office," Molly answered. She listened a few seconds before reaching for Bill's weekly calendar, turning it towards her and rifling a few pages ahead. "No, he can't make it that day, he has another appointment. But the day before or after look good. The 27th. Yes, that works. What time? 11?" she asked, before she grabbed a pencil and began scratching notations onto the calendar. "Yes, I'll make sure he knows. You're welcome. Good bye." Molly absently hung up the phone as she finished up her notes, not looking up from the task. "You have a meeting with the district attorney on the 27th at 11," she told him matter-of-factly, finishing her notes before straightening to look at Bill, startled when her eyes met his.

For Bill Avery had taken a step back from the desk, his arms crossed and his feet braced as he studied Molly with an intent gaze, as if seeing her for the first time. Molly grew flustered by the look. She straightened away from the desk and ran her hands down her dress. "Well, I guess I'd better be on my way," she said and turned, looking for her duster. She found it and headed to the door.

"Molly, wait!" Bill called after her, stopping her before she reached the door. Molly turned and waited until Bill came up to her. "Molly, I...," Bill scanned her face, glancing down her arm to the duster in her hand. Impulsively, he took the duster from her and tossed it over his shoulder. Molly's eyes widened in surprise and she leaned to the side to look around Bill, eyeing her duster now laying dejectedly on the floor of the office.

"What...?" she started, before Bill interrupted her.

"Molly, I need help," he said.

"What?" Molly said again.

"I need help. Here, in the office. Will you help me, Molly?" Bill asked.

"You want me to help you? Here?" Molly asked, pointing a finger to the floor, just to be sure they were talking about the right place.

"Yes. Would you prefer secretary or assistant?" he wondered at the job title, already miles ahead of Molly. "Assistant," he decided, answering his own question. "It's more descriptive. And you'll need a desk," Bill said, whirling around to eye the space.

Molly shook her head, trying to take it all in. Bill Avery wanted her to work here. In his office. As his assistant. Could it be possible? For a while now, Molly had been feeling a little lost in her life. She was a widow, one of the original coal mine widows, and her daughter Rosaleen was 17 now and attending Kingsport College out east and Molly was all alone in Hope Valley. Well, except for her friends, and even Florence had gotten a job at the switchboard and was no longer as available as she once was. It left Molly feeling at loose ends. She hadn't thought she'd possessed any particular skills to be useful to anyone in the way of a job, so she had started to clean offices, at least that was something she could do that would keep her busy. But here was Bill Avery offering her this opportunity. And what an opportunity. Bill Avery might be a bit gruff and testy, but he was a highly respected Judge, very well regarded in not only Hope Valley but far and wide. That he should think she was capable of working alongside him ignited feelings inside her of pride and self-esteem she had not felt for a very long time.

"We could put one here," Bill was saying, spreading his hand out where a desk might go. "It would get a lot of light," he noted, remarking of the spot close to the window. "Do you like light, Molly?" he asked.

It was a question laden with double meaning. For Molly had been in a bit of a dark place in her heart recently and here was a lifeline to the light. "Yes, Bill," Molly replied, swallowing hard. "I like the light," she said, answering his question and accepting the job in one sentence. "I like the light very much."


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Ok, just a couple of sweet chapters ahead (3 I think) before I drop the bomb and everything goes to hell in a handbasket. Just wanted to warn you so you can enjoy the sweet stuff before things get rough. (author tiptoes away, whistling quietly to herself while glancing furtively around her)._

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 7

"And now, I give you, Elizabeth Thornton," Lucas Bouchard introduced Elizabeth Thornton, authoress, to the crowd gathered inside the town library as he gestured with his hands over to her. To the sound of polite applause Elizabeth drew up her skirts and ascended a small temporary platform made to raise her slightly above the crowd for better viewing. She nodded slightly to Lucas before turning to the crowd.

"Thank you, thank you all," Elizabeth addressed them with a smile, her hands clasped before her and her face aglow with happiness, as the crowd hushed and prepared to listen to her words. Nathan Grant stood at the very back of the room, his height no impediment to his view, his arms crossed and feet braced as he stood tall, his gaze fixed and unwavering on Elizabeth Thornton's figure as she stood up front. Allie stood on a chair beside him, affording her a good view of the proceedings as well.

"It means so much to me that you are all here today," Elizabeth began, smiling around at the crowd, the faces familiar and dear to her. "They say that writing a book is like having a child. Well, I don't know for sure, but I can tell you that next to my son-" Elizbeth sent a soft glance to her son in Rosemary Coulter's arms not far away in the front row "-this book is the thing I am proudest of creating," as the audience ahhed at the sweet reference to her child and Rosemary raised one of Little Jack's hands to wave to his mother.

As Elizabeth continued her speech, Nathan watched her. How easily she spoke, simply but eloquently. He knew he could never do what she did. That words were hard for him and especially not in front of a crowd such as this. Something shone in his eyes for her...admiration, pride even. And even though it was her that was speaking the words, he felt himself stand a little taller, just being in her presence.

Elizabeth spoke a few moments more, ending her speech again with her heartfelt thanks and inviting the gathering to enjoy the refreshments and free copies of her book. The crowd erupted into enthusiastic applause and Elizabeth descended the platform, Lucas offering a hand to assist her down.

"Well done, Elizabeth," he said with a smile.

"It was a wonderful speech, Elizabeth," Fiona Miller chimed in from her place at Lucas's side. Her comment was genuine but there was a brief flash of pain in her eyes as she addressed Elizabeth that she was careful to quickly mask. Fiona knew that Lucas cared for her now, maybe even loved her, but he had once been infatuated with Elizabeth and sometimes that knowledge caused a small jolt of pain inside her, a feeling like she'd been his second choice. But she pushed the thoughts away, not letting the thoughts mar the day for either herself or Elizabeth. Elizabeth was becoming a dear friend, and she was truly happy for her success today.

"And it looks like your book is almost as successful as the cupcakes," Lucas teased and he swiveled to note the disappearance of the chocolate cupcakes slightly outpaced the stack of Elizabeth's books nearby.

Elizabeth laughed. "That's okay, I don't think anything could compete with chocolate cupcakes!" Oh, how happy she was today. This was the fruition of a long-held dream. Elizabeth turned as more people approached her, with compliments and congratulations, her face lively and animated as she spoke with them all.

"Okay Allie, I think it's time we got going," Nathan said to his niece, helping her down from the chair at the back of the room.

Allie looked up at her uncle and shook her head wonderingly and rolled her eyes slightly. Didn't he know they couldn't leave yet? Even she knew that. Did she really have to explain it to him? "We have to talk to Mrs. Thornton first!" she told him, explaining the etiquette lesson with another shake of her head. With a sigh, she grabbed his hand, pulling him reluctantly behind her through the crowd of people.

"Nathan! Allie!" Elizabeth's eyes brightened as the pair came into her view. "I am so glad you both could come today. It means a lot to me," she said, smiling from one to the other.

"Of course...we wouldn't...have...um...missed it," Nathan said, stumbling slightly on the words, as Allie rolled her eyes next to him, a small shake of her head. You could lead a horse to water but you couldn't make him talk, she suddenly smiled at her own internal joke.

But Elizabeth apparently didn't notice anything amiss with Nathan's words and she continued to smile happily at him. "Have you tried the cupcakes?" she asked, still smiling.

Nathan pivoted his head to the table behind him, then turned back to Elizabeth. "Not yet, but we will," he said, hesitating, wanting to say more, not sure how.

"Uncle Nathan got me a journal, Mrs. Thornton," it was Allie's turn to speak. "He said that's how you started writing. In your journal. I'm going to start writing too," she informed her.

Elizabeth's eyes widened in delight, her mouth agape in both surprise and pleasure. "Allie, that's wonderful!" Elizabeth enthused. Had she done that? Inspired Allie to start writing? And had Nathan gotten Allie a journal because of her? Nothing could have pleased Elizabeth more and her eyes traveled back to Nathan's, her eyes now soft with both pleasure and gratitude.

Nathan squirmed under her gaze. There were those looks again. The ones that seared pain directly into his heart. "Um...I guess Allie and I'd better be going. You have a lot of people to talk to," Nathan said, as Elizabeth nodded. Nathan cupped a hand around Allie's shoulder and lead her away, as other people moved to fill the vacant spot before Elizabeth.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was later than night, not long after Allie had gone to bed, that Nathan pulled out a small book from his jacket, where he'd placed it earlier that day. Just one from the many that had been offered in neat piles on a table in the town library. Just one that he'd collected and slipped quietly into his pocket.

He pulled a chair up close to the table and sat down, reaching for the oil lamp to draw it nearer. He wasn't using the electric lights tonight, just the lamp, and the room was mostly darkened except for the small glow of the lamp. Nathan opened the book and tilted it towards the lamp, its pages illuminated in a warm light, and began to read.

_And the Heart is Brave:_

_stories of love and hope_

_by_

_Elizabeth Thornton_

Nathan smiled at the words, running his fingers over them a moment before he turned the page.

_For LJ_

Nathan smiled again. He knew, immediately. LJ. Little Jack. Knew too why she'd used the initials in her dedication. Although 'Little" was firmly affixed to his name now, one day a young man might not want such an appellation attached to his identity, so Elizabeth was sparing him that now. Nathan didn't wonder how he knew these things, didn't question it, that somehow along the way he'd begun to understand her and know her ways and her mind.

Nathan turned another page, then reached down to the edge of his chair, tucking it and himself in closer as he settled in for a long night's read.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

In the days following her book release, Elizabeth walked around in a cloud of happiness. People came up to her in the streets, congratulating her and recounting favourite parts and passages of her stories. It was more rewarding than she could have ever anticipated. Writing was a lonely endeavour, but this, finally being able to share what she'd spent so many hours labouring at, was almost more than she could have hoped for. She didn't know if her book would break any sales records, or be considered anything close to literary greatness, but even just the sight of seeing a copy of it on the shelves at the town library was thrilling enough.

There was only one small disappointment. And she didn't know why she even let it disappoint her, there was so much else to be grateful for. But somehow in all the excitement of the publication and reader reaction, she had hoped that someone would mention a particular passage, a small poem really, that she had inserted among the prose. It was very special to Elizabeth, something she had revised over and over, something she had even shed tears to produce as it had stirred such intense feelings within her, until the words flowed exactly as she wanted. But no one mentioned it and Elizabeth began to think it maybe wasn't as good as she had thought. That it didn't move anyone as it had moved her.

But that was just a small disappointment and Elizabeth would not let it mar one of the most amazing experiences of her life. Why, Lucas had even begun talking about her _next _book and Elizabeth had laughed and tugged on his arm to slow him down. To ask him to let her enjoy all the pleasures and rewards of this one first.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Elizabeth entered the town library the following Saturday morning to begin a short shift. Upon entering the room, she immediately began to straighten the shelves in anticipation of any visitors, then turned around to scan the room, making sure everything was tidy and inviting. Finally, she headed towards her desk, a small table off to the side where she checked out books and prepared catalogue cards. Elizabeth stopped short as she drew near, a splotch of yellow colour causing her to catch her breath. She drew even closer, her heart beginning to pulse when she saw what it was. A small yellow flower—a coreopsis—sitting atop a copy of her book. Immediately, Elizabeth's eyes went to the shelves where her book normally resided and saw only an empty slot there. Someone had taken the book from there, placed it on her desk with the coreopsis. Elizabeth picked up the flower and the book, grasping the stem between her fingers, gently twirling it around as her eyes grew thoughtful.

So it wasn't just her. It had moved someone else too. That passage in her book. There was no doubt in Elizabeth's mind. That passage had moved someone else too and this was their way of telling her. But why like this? Elizabeth wondered. Why not just tell her? And now she had no idea who to thank, who to express gratitude to for their kind appreciation of her work. Part of Elizabeth was pleased, but part of her was frustrated too.

Suddenly, the library door opened and Allie swept in. Elizabeth almost laughed. Of course it would be Allie as the first visitor. She was a voracious reader and the library was one of her favourite places. "Hello, Allie!" Elizabeth called out to her, setting her book and the flower back on her desk. "I've got a new book in I think you might like!" she said, heading over to the girl, knowing Allie had already finished her own book and was ready for something new.

A short while later when Allie approached Elizabeth's desk to check out two books, she spotted the yellow flower on Elizabeth's desk. "Hey, we have some of those at home too," Allie said.

"Some of what?" Elizabeth said, absent-mindedly, looking for the date due stamp.

"Some of those flowers," Allie replied, pointing to the small delicate yellow flower with the red center that was sitting on Mrs. Thornton's desk. "We have a whole jar of 'em on the kitchen sill. I don't know what they're called though," she added apologetically, apologizing for not knowing the name.

Elizabeth looked up, her gaze following Allie's pointed arm to the flower on her desk. "Coreopsis," she said, her brow furrowing. "They're called coreopsis," she repeated, a bit stunned. Allie had these at home? "Allie, how did you get them?" she asked, wondering.

"I dunno," Allie replied with a shrug. "I guess Uncle Nathan picked them. We have a whole bunch of wild flowers in back of our house. I don't know why he picked just the yellows ones though, there's all kinds back there," she informed Elizabeth.

Nathan? Nathan picked them? Was he the one to...? Elizabeth stopped her thoughts. She finished checking out Allie's books, waiting until she was alone to give this information some thought.

Alone in the room a moment later, Elizabeth began to ponder. Should she be surprised if it were Nathan? She guessed she had just thought, perhaps mistakenly, that a man so sparce on words wouldn't be much interested in something so..so...wordy as her book. But then the gesture was so like him too. That instead of using words to convey his thoughts, he had chosen a gesture instead. Elizabeth sighed, not knowing how she would ever even find out for sure, other than to ask him and for some reason she didn't know if she wanted to do that either.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Walking down past the rowhouses later that morning after her shift at the library, Elizabeth took a deep breath of the fresh air and tilted her head up to the sun, letting the light and warmth of its rays wash over her. In her arms she held a couple of books, a little yellow flower jutting out by its stem from one of them, held tightly inside the pages. She heard Nathan before she saw him. Heard the distinct rhythm of a hammer driving nails into wood.

"Nathan, what are you doing?" she asked as she came up alongside his house, a rowhouse only four houses away from her own.

"Putting on a porch railing," he informed her between swings of his hammer. He had done the same for her, when Little Jack had almost accidentally slipped from the unprotected porch a few times too many. Now he was putting one on his own house. "All the houses should have railings," Nathan opined. "It's not safe without one," he stated and Elizabeth suppressed a laugh.

"What?" Nathan asked.

"You," she answered, amused by him. He was almost affronted by it, by the safety violation. But then Nathan was a protector, she knew that about him, and safety would be an issue for him, even if it was a simple porch railing. "Are you going to spend your Saturdays putting railings on _all _the rowhouses?" she quizzed him teasingly.

Nathan's mouth twitched. "Maybe," he deadpanned and Elizabeth chuckled. She watched him work a second or two more and then an idea struck her. Casually, too casually, she set her books down on the porch near him, pretending she'd done it to free herself to inspect his work. She slipped the yellow flower from the pages that held it and placed it atop the books. Then she stepped away from the porch and pretended to survey his work. "It looks good," she said, watching Nathan from the corner of her eye. But he showed no outward reaction to the flower or that he even noticed it and continued with his task. She saw him reach for a nail, and she held her breath as his hand brushed close by the flower. He would have seen it, he must have, but still he showed no reaction. Elizabeth sighed. Maybe it wasn't him then. Maybe it was just a coincidence he had picked the same flowers. Her shoulders dropping a little in disappointment, Elizabeth gathered up her belongings.

"Good day, Nathan," she said, and turned to go.

Nathan clenched his jaw as Elizabeth took her leave and he hammered three more times before he stopped, expelling his breath. He'd seen the flower there, known what she was asking, only he hadn't wanted to answer. When a man gave a woman a flower it was a romantic gesture, but his wasn't. It couldn't be, not ever. But this wasn't about romance. It was about something else. It was about giving Elizabeth her due. Her due as a writer. She had earned it and he couldn't deny her that.

"Elizabeth, wait!" he called out to her retreating form.

Elizabeth turned around on the path and waited as Nathan approached her before he came to a stop near her, a question on her face. Nathan looked off to the side, raising his shoulders to slip his hands in pockets. He took a deep breath, struggling for the words. More often than not words had been hurtful things in his life, words used to berate and chastise and harm so was it any wonder that as he grew he learned to use them sparingly.

"Elizabeth, I...," Nathan couldn't find the words, so he thought to borrow hers. Those came easily as he pictured the page in his mind. Slowly, his eyes fixed on some distant point, he began to recite:

_the solitary soul awakes_

_in lovely sunlit hours_

_a heart, a home, and respite found_

_where coreopsis flowers_

"Nathan!" Elizabeth breathed his name, her gaze intent upon him. "Nathan, it was you!" she breathed, moved and touched. He had read her book. Not only that, he had recited her favourite part back to her. It meant so much to Elizabeth, knowing the words meant something to him too.

"You have a gift for words, Elizabeth," Nathan said, his praise filling her with more joy. "But..." he trailed off.

"But what?" Elizabeth eyes suddenly widened at the qualifier.

"But I already knew that. Without written proof," Nathan teased. Elizabeth laughed. She could best him any day of the week with her words and they both knew it. It was her strength, he had others.

Elizabeth turned serious, letting out a small sigh. "Thank you, Nathan," she said, her appreciation glowing in her eyes, a small smile on her face.

Nathan pursed his lips and gave a slight nod in acknowledgement then stood in the street and watched her, watched her turn and walk away, down past the row of houses.


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Just another sweet fluffy chapter that was fun to write and imagine in my head. As always, encouraging comments are very welcome, they are a huge motivator for me and I appreciate them very much._

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 8

Nathan Grant strode vigorously down the path in front of the rowhouses the next Saturday in his bright red serge coat, his Mountie hat firmly affixed on his head, one arm swinging in tandem with his lengthy strides, one hand resting atop the belt at his waist. Elizabeth Thornton's house was the last one in the row and as usual that was his destination on this day, in the early afternoon.

As he walked, Nathan noticed a small figure in the road ahead. Puzzled, his eyes quickly scanned the area. He even pivoted on a heel to take in a full 360 degree view as he walked backwards a few steps before turning fully around. But there was no one else in view. Just that small figure in the road. He came up to the figure and crouched low.

"Hey, little man," he said, reaching out to touch one of Little Jack's hands, giving it a quick jiggle. "What are you doing out here alone? Where's your mama?" he asked the child.

Little Jack twisted and pointed back to the rowhouse, the very last one in the row. Nathan's brow furrowed with puzzlement as he eyed Elizabeth's house. The front door was closed and there was no one in sight.

"Well," Nathan sighed, reaching to hoist Little Jack into his arms as he rose from the ground. "I guess we'd better go find her."

Elizabeth Thornton stood in her rear yard, pulling the clothespin from her mouth before fixing it to the bedsheet over the washline. As she did so, she continued the story she'd been telling her little son, her view of him hidden by the sheet she was fastening.

"And then he huffed and he puffed and he blewwwww the house down!" she recited enthusiastically, her eyes on her work, hanging laundry on this fine sunny Saturday. Into her mouth went another clothespin and her words became muffled. "The thecond little thig built a thouse made of thicks," she said, the clothespin rendering her storytelling a bit nonsensical. After positioning the next sheet, out came the clothespin allowing Elizabeth to recite the next line of the nursery rhyme in a more traditional way. Not getting much, if any, reaction to her words, Elizabeth pressed down the clothesline to peer over the top of the sheet, wondering why Little Jack had grown so quiet. If he wasn't laughing at her storytelling, he was usually at least banging his blocks around.

Elizabeth took in a swift breath, for Little Jack was not in the spot where she'd left him, his toy wooden blocks siting forlorn and abandoned. Elizabeth's eyes flew to the gate, it's door hanging open a good six inches or more. Quickly, she hoisted her skirts, ducked under the clothesline, and made towards the gate door. She was sure she had closed it tight, but perhaps not tight enough for an inquisitive child.

"Jack! Little Jack!" she called, pushing through the gate, her eyes frantically surveying the land, trying to stifle the rising fear that rose from the pit of her stomach and seared right to her heart. "Jack!" she called, bounding around the side of the house. Coming round to the front, Elizabeth stopped short, and placed a hand flat to her belly, slumping as relief washed over her, the relief coming as quickly as the fear had. For there in the road in front of her house was her son in the arms of Constable Grant. Nathan was playfully jostling Little Jack in his arms as he strode towards her house, to the delighted squeals of her small son.

Spotting Elizabeth now in view at the front of her house, Nathan strode up close to her, then, a twinkle in his eye, he quickly tucked Little Jack under his arm, somewhat like a football, the child's body level to the ground, face down with his arms out front and his feet kicking behind. Little Jack squealed in delight at this new game. Nathan assumed a serious stance, his feet braced apart and his other arm bent, the hand fisted at his waist.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said in a comically low tone. "You wouldn't by chance be looking for a young'un? A little feller, blonde hair, about yea tall?" he asked.

Sensing the game now afoot, Elizabeth clasped her hands in mock desperation before her. "Why yes, constable! Have you seen him? I can't find him anywhere!" she moaned pitifully.

"I'm right here!" Little Jack shouted, squealing and giggling at the game, his face growing red with his laughter.

"Why lookie here! I just happen to have a young'un on me!" Nathan intoned in his mock serious constable voice, before he suddenly broke role to swing Little Jack away from his side. One arm across Little Jack's chest and the other hand on the seat of his pants, Nathan swung Little Jack into his mother's arms. "There you go now," he said in his normal tone. "Back to your Mama." Almost immediately, and to Elizabeth's surprise, Little Jack leaned back towards Nathan, his arms stretched straight in the air, the universal language of all children wanting to be picked up.

"Well, um, okay," Nathan took Little Jack back into his arms, the child had leaned so far he would have fallen if he hadn't. "I guess I did kinda forget something, didn't I?" he admitted, meeting the little boy's eyes as Little Jack nodded solemnly to him. Nathan raised the flap of his breast pocket and pulled out a pine cone, and handed it to the boy. "How's that?" he asked the child's opinion of the little treasure he'd brought with him today. Little Jack merely eyed the object with wide, delighted eyes. Nathan smiled, handing the child back to his mother, this time in a less dramatic way.

"What you have got there?" Elizabeth cooed to her child as she eyed the pine cone with him. "It's a pine cone!" she told him enthusiastically.

"Pine cone!" Little Jack repeated in delight.

Elizabeth looked over to meet Nathan's eyes, gratitude in hers. Nathan broke away from her look to glance around him. "Everything...everything okay here?" he asked, just the normal question he asked while doing his rounds.

"It is now," Elizabeth said, double meaning behind her words, subtly expressing her thanks to him, while Nathan squirmed a little.

"Anything else...anything else I can do?" Nathan asked, not meaning that he'd done anything special already, just wondering if Elizabeth might need anything.

But Elizabeth was shaking her head no. "That is...unless...," she started, a twinkle forming in her own eye.

"Unless what?" Nathan asked, with slight concern.

"Unless...you wouldn't have any way of outlawing laundry, would you?" she asked, remembering the laden basket of wet sheets in her rear yard still requiring her attention.

Nathan laughed out loud. "No, ma'am, 'fraid not," he answered in his mock Mountie voice. "I can take it up with my superiors though," he said and smiled, this new game now just between the two of them.

"Please do," Elizabeth smiled at him, before Nathan tipped his hat at her and they both turned to resume their day, a smile on both their faces.


	9. Chapter 9

,

,

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 9

"Mrs. Thornton!"

Elizabeth Thornton, a basket handle grasped in both hands, stopped on the sidewalks of Hope Valley, twirling around to see who had called her name.

"Mrs. Thornton!" came the call again, as Elizabeth spotted Superintendent O'Reilly of the North West Royal Mounted Police hurrying across the street to her.

"Superintendent," Elizabeth greeted pleasantly as he came up abreast of her.

Slightly out of breath, the superintendent began apologetically, "Mrs. Thornton, I wonder if I might have a moment of your time?"

"Of course!" Elizabeth replied.

The superintendent quickly looked around him, hoping to scout a quiet place to talk, and, not finding one, again adopted an apologetic tone, "I'm sorry to do this here on the street, but I'm on my way to Buxton and I'm afraid I only have a few moments to spare."

"Of course," Elizabeth said, wondering what this was about.

"It's just..." the superintendent paused, part to catch his breath, part to add solemnity to the moment. "It's just I have something of your late husband's and I wanted to deliver it to you personally."

"Jack? You have something of Jack's?" Elizabeth said in surprise.

The superintendent was nodding. "I was cleaning out some files at headquarters in Union City and I came across this," he said, holding out a manila folder to her. "I thought you might like to have it."

Elizabeth set her basket beside her on the sidewalk and reached for the folder. She turned it over in her hands and saw it was unsealed. She looked up to meet the superintendent's eyes and saw him give a gentle nod to her. So Elizabeth looked down at the folder, prying the edges apart to peer inside. She saw a piece of paper, no, it was thicker than paper, and she reached in to pull it halfway out. It was a photograph, or a collection of photos, oval portraits of young men attired in Mountie uniforms, their small individual portraits arranged symmetrically on the page. Elizabeth sucked in her breath when she recognized one of them. One of the portraits. Jack. Only this Jack was young, very, very young, boyish almost.

"Jack's graduating class," the superintendent informed her. "From the academy. Class of '05."

Elizabeth studied the photo a moment more, then tucked it back inside the envelope. She would study it more at home, in privacy. "Superintendent, this was...I am...this was very kind of you," Elizabeth said, almost overwhelmed with gratitude. She had a sudden urge to hug the superintendent, might even have leaned in his direction, but his sudden wide eyes at her perceived attempt stopped her and she hid a smile. No, she thought, she didn't suppose one hugged a superintendent. "I'm very grateful to you for bringing this to me," she said instead.

"Mrs. Thornton," the superintendent began, then dropped his voice a little. "Elizabeth," he switched to the more warm and intimate appellation. "None of us will ever forget Jack, nor his service. And I want you to know that even though Jack is gone, you are still part of the Mountie family. You are still one of us," he said, something in his demeanour imbuing Elizabeth with a rush of emotion.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said simply.

Suddenly the superintendent straightened and stepped smartly back, first one leg then the other. Slowly, staring straight ahead, he raised his right arm and touched the brim of his hat with his fingers, palm out, and held it there a second or two before releasing. Understanding the gesture, a rare one given a civilian and in her case one conferring the utmost respect, Elizabeth felt tears sting the back of her eyes, as she nodded acknowledgement to him, then watched him turn and leave.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Alone in her rowhouse, and Little Jack asleep upstairs, Elizabeth finally sat at the kitchen table, the manila envelope before her. Slowly she pulled the photo from inside, all the way out this time, her eyes once again falling on Jack. How young he looked, she thought, and a small smile came to her face, gentle and tender. She was surprised that she felt no sting of pain to look upon the photo, there was only a feeling of bittersweet remembrance.

Elizabeth reached out and rubbed her finger across the photo, then smiled again as her eyes dropped to the name printed below. Jack Thornton. Elizabeth took a deep breath. She would keep this for Little Jack. So he would know what his father looked like as a young man, as a young cadet, just starting out his life and his career. Elizabeth sighed again. Then she began to study the other photos. Young men all of them, only a dozen or so of them in the graduating class, a small number to be sure, but all of them looking bright and eager and hopeful. And proud. Elizabeth glanced from one portrait to the next, studying them all. Suddenly she stopped at one, frozen, stunned, her breath caught in her throat, unable to be released. For she knew this one too. He was ten years younger too but she recognized him just the same. Her eyes dropped to the printed name below, knowing even before she read it what it would read.

Nathan Grant


	10. Chapter 10

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 10

Nathan and Jack had been in the same graduating class? The words rolled around in Elizabeth's mind as she stared at the photograph in her hand. How was that possible? Why had Nathan never mentioned it? Had he not remembered Jack? There were only 12 of them in the graduating class. Surely he would have remembered? Even if it was more than 10 years ago. Surely he would have remembered? She had asked Nathan when he first came to Hope Valley if he'd known Jack and he had said he hadn't. Had he lied to her? For what purpose?

The questions swirled in Elizabeth's mind, now that the initial surprise of seeing his photograph had worn off, leaving only a growing confusion in its place.

She would have to ask Nathan. She would have to find out.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The next morning, Elizabeth drew up her skirts as she stepped up onto the sidewalk outside the Mountie office. In her arms were some textbooks, hidden among them a manila envelope containing a photograph. She braced herself, then turned the handle of the office door.

"Elizabeth!" Nathan said, turning from his place near the far wall at the sound of the door opening. "What are you doing here so bright and early?" he asked, wondering what had brought her to his office this early, before the start of the school day.

Elizabeth crept further into the room. "I was wondering if we could talk," she began, for some reason not meeting his eyes, her words low and serious.

"Of course!" Nathan said, sensing now that something of grave import was on Elizabeth's mind. "What is it?" he asked.

Elizabeth looked around her. "Not here. Now now," she said carefully, knowing there was little time before school began and more than that, she didn't want to discuss things here. "Can you come by the schoolhouse, today, after school?" she asked, only now looking up to meet his eyes.

"Of course," Nathan replied, a light chill tingling down his spine. Something was wrong. Elizabeth was troubled by something. "I'll come by right after school is out," he said.

Elizabeth nodded her thanks, then turned quickly from the room, leaving Nathan to stare after her, wondering what this was all about. Something in her manner, her tone, alarmed him and he knew it was going to be a long wait until he saw her at 4. His eyes glanced at the clock, already counting down the hours.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was not Elizabeth's finest day as a teacher. How could it be? When her mind was so otherwise pre-occupied by the questions swirling in her mind. But she went through the motions as best she could. At 10 minutes to 4 she dismissed her students then moved to sit behind her desk.

And wait.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Nathan ascended the schoolhouse stairs with some trepidation, his hat in hand. Under less formidable circumstances, it might have been comical. His trepidation, after being called to the schoolhouse by the teacher. Like he'd been a wayward schoolboy about to be reprimanded for some erroneous oversight. But he was a grown man, not a schoolboy, so he grit his teeth and pushed on.

Elizabeth looked up from her place at her desk at the sight of Nathan striding down the schoolhouse aisle. Slowly she rose to greet him, coming around her desk as they met, face-to-face.

"Nathan," she spoke his name.

"Elizabeth," he replied, a slight question in his tone.

"I know you're wondering why I asked you here," she began.

"Is Allie...?" Nathan trailed off, wondering if their meeting was about his boisterous niece and the difficulties she sometimes got into.

"No, this is not about Allie," Elizabeth cut him off. "I wanted to ask you about something I don't understand," she said carefully.

"What is that?" Nathan asked.

Elizabeth turned, pulling the photograph from between two books on her desk and holding it out before him. "This," she said simply.

Nathan stared down at the photo Elizabeth held in her hands before him, the Mountie graduating class of 1905, his class, his and Jack's, and something clenched in his jaw. Damn. He'd forgotten about the photograph, wouldn't have even thought she'd ever even see it even if he had remembered.

"Where did you get that?" he looked up to ask her.

"Superintendent O'Reilly gave it to me. It's Jack's graduating class. The superintendent thought I'd like to have it, as a remembrance of Jack," she told him to Nathan's nod of understanding. "Nathan?" she said his name with a question, her eyes scanning over his. "Nathan, you're in the photograph too. You graduated in the same class as Jack. Did you...did you forget him? Did you not remember him?"

Knowing he couldn't lie, that he had never lied to her, not in so many words, Nathan answered quietly, "No, I didn't forget him."

"Then why, Nathan? Why?" Elizabeth asked, turning to set the photo back on her desk. "Why didn't you tell me you knew him?" she asked, something creeping into her voice, hurt maybe, as she stared up at him, her eyes beseeching an answer.

"Elizabeth..." Nathan struggled for words. "Elizabeth, I can't tell you why," he said.

"Can't tell me!" she exclaimed, astounded. "Why can't you tell me?" she repeated, incredulous.

Nathan moved his head around, searching the air for words. "I knew Jack a short time from the academy," he said, telling her what he could, now that she knew this much, what he'd avoided telling her before only because it made the rest of it easier. "We were in the academy together for about six months. After graduation, we went our separate ways. Lost touch. Our assignments sent us on different paths. I hadn't heard from him in all the years since. Not in the ten years since," Nathan explained.

"But you remembered him. You knew who he was," Elizabeth stated the obvious. "And when he...when he died...you would have known who it was," she continued. News of a fallen Mountie would have spread quickly through the ranks. If Nathan had heard, he would have known who Jack was. Nathan nodded, affirming her summation. A sudden realization came to Elizabeth. "My God! You were there at the funeral, weren't you?" she asked, accusing, demanding. "Of course you were!" Elizabeth practically shouted. Mounties had come from 100 miles or more that day, to honour one of their own, one of the fallen. If Nathan had known Jack, had heard of his death, he would have come too. She wouldn't have known him, or remembered or recognized him. All she had seen that day was a sea of red coats.

"I was there," Nathan said quietly, remembering how the sight of Elizabeth and her raw grief that day had torn at him.

Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief. This was all too much. "Nathan, when you first came to Hope Valley, I asked you if you had known Jack! You _told_ me you didn't!" Elizabeth said accusingly.

Nathan raised a clarifying hand. "No, no, I said I'd never served with him. And that was true," Nathan explained, he'd never lied, he'd tried very hard not to. Their various assignments had taken them in different directions and it was true they'd never served together.

"But you knew what I meant!" Elizabeth rebounded, shaking her head. "When you first got here you accused Lucas of being secretive. But it wasn't him! It was you, Nathan! You're the one with the secrets!" she castigated. Suddenly, her tone turned pleading. "Please, Nathan, I'm trying to understand. Please tell me what this is all about."

Nathan's jaw clenched. "I can't."

"Can't or won't?" Elizabeth spat at him, accusingly, something raw behind her eyes, pain and hurt. "Nathan," she drew out his name warningly. "Nathan, our friendship is on the line here," she told him, informing him his refusal to explain would come at a high price. At Nathan's silent stance before her, Elizabeth swallowed deeply, understanding even that had no sway on him. "I see," she said at length, her spine stiffening and something cold and hard washing over her. "Well, Nathan, I guess there's only one thing you can do for me now. And that's to stay away from me!" Elizabeth shouted forcefully, turning quickly from him to stride down the aisle of the schoolhouse.


	11. Chapter 11

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 11

"Rosemary, I don't want to talk about it anymore!" Elizabeth said the words sharply, setting her teacup down with force, regretting her sharp words to her dear friend almost immediately. "I'm sorry," she apologized, as the pair sat on the settee inside her rowhouse. "I didn't mean to..." she trailed off.

"I know," Rosemary said soothingly, patting Elizabeth's hand. "You're just upset. You're upset Nathan didn't tell you he knew Jack. But..."

"But what?"

Rosemary tried to be delicate. "But aren't you being a little stubborn about it?"

"Rosemary!" Elizabeth exclaimed in objection.

"It's just...it's just we've known Nathan for over a year now. He seems like a good man. I'm sure there must be some reason for his not telling you," she tried to gently coax some reasoning into her friend.

"I can't believe you're siding with him!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"I'm not siding with him! I just don't like seeing you this upset," Rosemary said.

But Elizabeth _was _upset. She was upset at what seemed like a deception on Nathan's part just when she'd...she'd...Elizabeth hesitated over the thought before finishing it...just when she'd begun to open her heart to him. Just when she'd begun to allow her feelings for him to flower. And then this.

Nathan had made a few attempts since their blowout in the schoolhouse that day, a few attempts to talk to her but she had rebuffed him each time. If he wasn't offering an explanation then she wasn't listening to anything else he had to say either, resisting all his attempts at peacemaking. It was her way or no way, and in that sense she supposed Rosemary was right and she was displaying a streak of stubbornness. But it was entirely based on her own righteousness, that he had no right to withhold something like this from her. But it had become awkward in such a small town to avoid him entirely. Especially since that meant avoiding Allie too, if she was with Nathan.

"Listen, Rosemary, let's change the topic. How are the new designs coming?" she asked her friend, watching Rosemary's face light up as she began to describe the new fashion designs she was working on at the dress shop.

But Elizabeth was only half-listening, her mind elsewhere. Her mind was on a certain frustrating, taciturn, confounding man whose mysterious ways had suddenly turned her world upside-down.


	12. Chapter 12

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 12

It was a few days later, after her morning ride on Sargeant, as Elizabeth was leaving the livery that she noticed the two men casually leaning against the livery wall. Strangers, they were, at least she didn't recognize them. She moved to go past them on her way back into town, not sure if she should acknowledge them or not. They looked a bit on the rough side, and something prickled worryingly in Elizabeth's heart.

One of the men nudged his friend and inclined his head towards Elizabeth, a snicker passing between the two men. No, Elizabeth decided right there, these were not men she should acknowledge. She moved to brush past them as quickly as possible when one of them stepped into her path.

"Hey there, where you going so fast?" the man asked.

Startled, Elizabeth stopped in her tracks. "Please let me pass," she said, in a authoritative tone that hid her alarm at being spoken to like that by a stranger.

"If you ain't a pretty little thing," the man said. "Ain't she, Zeke?" he asked his friend, as his friend took a step behind Elizabeth, both of them effectively blocking her way. "Shore is," the friend agreed.

"I said, let me pass," Elizabeth repeated, her alarm increasing exponentially. She took a step to the side but the man did as well, not allowing her passage.

"Now don't be like that," the man said. "All we want is to be friendly-like," he added, reaching out to grasp Elizabeth's arm.

Well and truly frightened now, Elizabeth shouted, "Let me go!" then used all her might to break free from his grasp. She turned and ran, the men's laughter ringing in her ears as she made away.

Elizabeth ran to where her frightened heart took her, through the empty streets of Hope Valley all the way to the Mountie office, but she stopped short at the pillar outside, grabbing onto it as she caught her breath.

What was she doing? She been frightened back there and she'd run here. To him. To Nathan. But that was right she would do that. He was the constable here, wasn't he? The law? But deep in her heart Elizabeth knew that wasn't the reason. She'd run here because she'd felt unsafe, very unsafe, and she'd run to the one place, the one person, who made her feel safe. She'd run to Nathan, the man, not the Mountie.

But they were on the outs. Not even speaking. Not even friends. She had no claim on him and in the moment she didn't know quite what to do. The dilemma was solved for her a moment later when Nathan exited his office to find Elizabeth on the veranda outside.

"Elizabeth!" he exclaimed, immediately realizing from her face that something was wrong, very wrong. He took two lengthy strides towards her. "Elizabeth, what's wrong?"

Elizabeth drew a steadying breath. He was the Mountie. She would report this to the Mountie. She could do that. Staring somewhere at the center of Nathan's chest, unable to meet his eyes, she recounted in a detached voice, "Two men. Strangers. Over at the livery. They spoke to me...inappropriately," as Nathan's eyes grew wide. Elizabeth swallowed. "One of them grabbed my arm and it frightened me," she told him as Nathan's heart lurched at the information. "I thought I should tell you, in case...in case they bother any of the other women." There. She had gotten it out.

"Of course," Nathan said in a compassionate voice. "Elizabeth, can you tell me what they looked like?" he asked.

Elizabeth swallowed again. "Rough. Unshaven. One of them had a red shirt. The other was wearing a blue neckerchief," she recounted the details.

"Okay Elizabeth, I'll take care of this," he said, looking around the streets but they were deserted. He couldn't leave Elizabeth standing here like this. "Elizabeth, please, please let me take you over to the cafe," he said, putting an ushering arm around her, careful not to touch her.

Elizabeth allowed herself to be directed to the cafe, Once there, Nathan took a few steps past her in order to reach around her and open the door for her. Inside, he ushered her to a side table, watching her slide into a seat before he turned to catch Clara's eye. "Clara, can you get Elizabeth a cup of tea please?" he said in a quiet voice, as Clara's eyes widened, sensing by Elizabeth's demeanour that something was wrong.

"Yes, of course," Clara said, and went to do so.

"Elizabeth, I'll be back soon," Nathan said, eyeing her a second longer before heading out the door.

Nathan found the two ruffians a short while later, just as Elizabeth described them, leaning against the livery wall. "You two got business here in Hope Valley?" he asked them.

"Why look, Zeke, it's the law!" one of the men said derisively, as Nathan's eyes narrowed on him.

"I asked you if you have business here," Nathan repeated in a clipped tone.

"Well, I guess you could say we're just passing through," the man replied. "Ain't that right, Zeke?" as the two men laughed at some perceived joke.

"We don't like your kind here," Nathan said. "Move along," he ordered.

"What?" the man said, surprised by the sudden ejection. "Oh, I get it!" he said knowingly a second later. "This is about that pretty little schoolteacher, ain't it? Just cuz we wuz trying to be friendly," he said as Nathan's countenance grew suddenly dark.

"And I hear she's a widow woman. You know what they say about widow women, don't ya?" the other man snickered.

But Nathan had heard enough. With each hand he grabbed a fistful of shirt near each man's neck, first pulling them ahead then pushing them forcefully back against the livery wall with a loud thud when their bodies met the wall. Nathan pinned a forearm across each man's throat, just enough to hold them in place and cutting off enough air to make it uncomfortable.

"We don't talk about women like that here. Now I said, it's time to move along," he told them. "Unless you'd like to stay and see the inside of a jail cell here?"

One of the men choked out, "We ain't done nothing wrong! You ain't got no call to arrest us!"

"No? How about public nuisance? Loitering? Just try me..." Nathan threatened, delivering another painful push against the wall, "...and see how creative I can get."

"Okay, okay," one of the men conceded. "We'll go," he said, as Nathan relaxed his hold, as the two men slumped from the wall. "This town ain't no fun anyway," he complained.

Nathan didn't reply, just watched as the two men retrieved their horses, mounted and rode off, his eyes on them until they were well in the distance. He would have to telephone the nearby towns, warn them of the ruffians in their midst, but first he had to get back to Elizabeth.

Once back at the cafe, Nathan slid into the seat opposite Elizabeth and removed his hat. "It's okay, Elizabeth, they're gone now," he told her.

Elizabeth looked up from her teacup on the table. "They're gone? You...you got them to leave?" she asked. Had Nathan run the ruffians out of town?

"Let's just say I made a strong suggestion they leave," he answered, pursing his lips and Elizabeth nodded in understanding, dropping her eyes. "Elizabeth, please, let me see you home," he coaxed. "Or at least, let me get someone to take you home," he added, painfully, knowing Elizabeth wanted little to do with him these days. But Elizabeth shook her head.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you for your help, constable," she said, her address formal. She stood to leave, and Nathan stood when she did. From that spot, he watched her turn and leave the cafe.

Nathan sighed, threw some coins on the table and exited the cafe. He turned down the sidewalk and strode quickly along, his destination, the local dress-shop. He arrived a moment later, and entered inside.

"Constable Grant! Nathan!" Rosemary Coulter corrected her greeting of the Mountie at the his entrance into the small dress shop. It wasn't often men came into the shop and she was surprised to see him there.

"Mrs. Coulter. Rosemary," Nathan corrected himself in like fashion, removing his hat. "I wonder if you could do me a favour," he asked.

"Of course!" Rosemary agreed, amenable but surprised by the question.

"I wonder if you could go to Elizabeth," he said. "Her house, I mean. To her," he stumbled the corrections one after the other.

"Why? What's wrong?" Rosemary asked. Even in his fractured way, Rosemary realized that Nathan was telling her Elizabeth needed her.

"It's just...there were a couple of rough characters in town today and they accosted Elizabeth on the street. They're gone now," he reassured Rosemary at her look of alarm. "But I think Elizabeth could use a friend right now," he told her.

"Of course! I'll go right now!" Rosemary exclaimed, immediately worried about Elizabeth, that such a thing had happened.

Nathan visibly relaxed with relief. "Thank you," he said with gratitude.

Rosemary eyed Nathan, a measure of understanding in her eye. "No, Nathan. thank _you,_" she said, pausing a moment to give her words weight, then turned to hurry out the door.


	13. Chapter 13

.

.

And the Heart is Home

Chapter 13

"Do you know how long this case has dragged on?" Bill Avery was barking frustratedly into his telephone as he sat at his office desk. "Since...since..." he faltered, waving his head and trying to remember dates. Suddenly Molly Sullivan appeared at his side and placed an open folder in front of him. She reached down and pointed at a specific spot. Bill's eyes followed her hand, her gesture supplying the information he needed. "Since February 19th!" he barked into the phone. "Now I want this resolved and soon! You get your act together and be in court on Friday!" he ordered, then briskly hung up the phone, his eyes glancing up at Molly as she stooped to retrieve the folder, closing it, then neatly refiling it in the cabinet near the wall.

Bill didn't know why he was surprised anymore. Surprised at the way Molly anticipated his every need, sometimes even before he did. Like now, when he'd been speaking with the district attorney about a case and he'd suddenly needed the date, and she'd been right there to hand it to him. In mid-conversation even.

It was almost eerie how well she knew him, how smoothly they had settled into their working relationship. Like a well-oiled machine, Bill thought wryly. And in all honesty, he didn't know how he'd managed before her. Well, maybe he did. And that was...not very well. Not very well at all.

"Elizabeth!" Bill Avery stood as Elizabeth Thornton entered his office, an enveloped clasped to her chest.

"Good morning, Bill. Good morning, Molly," Elizabeth acknowledged them both. Her voice dropped just a tad as she asked, "Bill, I wonder if I might speak with you about something."

"Of course!" Bill replied, as almost immediately Molly reached for a stack of letters on her desk.

"Bill, I think I'll just take these letters to the post office. If you'll excuse me?" she asked, as Bill nodded and Molly moved away, giving a slight smile to Elizabeth as she passed.

So, she was perceptive too, that Molly, Bill thought, realizing Molly had vacated herself because she sensed Elizabeth had something important to discuss with him.

"Now, what is it Elizabeth? Do you want to sit down?" he asked, indicating a nearby chair, but Elizabeth shook her head, wanting to get right to it now that she'd decided to ask Bill for his help. She didn't like this...falling out with Nathan, didn't like it at all. She wanted to move past it, but to do that she needed answers and if Nathan wouldn't give them to her she would try somewhere else. She would try Bill.

"Bill, I want to show you something," she began, pulling out the photograph of Jack and Nathan's graduating class and handing it to him. "It's something Superintendent O'Reilly gave me."

Bill studied the photograph Elizabeth handed him then let out a low whistle. He looked over at Elizabeth for explanation.

"It's Jack's graduating class, from the academy," she told him. "Nathan's too," she added, already knowing Bill had recognized both men. "Bill, did you know they graduated together? That they knew each other?"

Bill was shaking his head, this was all news to him.

"And Jack never mentioned Nathan to you? You never heard him speak of him?" Elizabeth continued. Again, Bill shook his head no.

"No, Elizabeth, I had no idea they knew each other. Did you show this to Nathan? What did he say?" Bill asked.

"He admitted he and Jack had attended the academy together, but he wouldn't tell me more. He wouldn't tell me why he'd never mentioned it or the fact he'd known Jack. He said they lost touch after graduating and he'd never seen him in the ten years after. I just don't understand it Bill, why he wouldn't tell me he knew him?" Elizabeth said.

But Bill was wondering too. It was like the old detective in him was awakened, with a mystery to solve, clues given and facts to be found. "Elizabeth, I'm going to look into this. Can you leave this with me?" he indicated the photograph in his hands.

Elizabeth breathed in relief, she had hoped he'd offer his help. She nodded yes to him about keeping the photo. "Thank you, Bill," she said, then turned to go.

Bill Avery studied the photograph in his hands a moment longer. He still had a few connections at Mountie headquarters. He could make a few calls. Ask a few questions. And the photograph. If what Elizabeth said was true and Jack and Nathan had had no contact since their days at the academy then whatever this was about had happened there. At the academy. Bill looked down at the photograph. There were 12 of them in the picture, their names conveniently printed below. One was dead and one wasn't speaking. That left 10 others. Ten others he could question for information.

All he had to do was find them.


	14. Chapter 14

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 14

"Allie, finish up there, supper's almost ready," Nathan Grant informed his niece at dinnertime that day. Supper was almost ready. Just beans mostly, and some potatoes and biscuits. But only half-burned biscuits today, Nathan thought ruefully, and half-burned was better than all-burned which was the normal state of his cooking.

"What is it you're working on?" Nathan came to the table to look over Allie's shoulder as she sat at the table, working on some paper in front of her. "School work?" he asked.

"No," Allie shook her head, finishing up a few lines before lifting the page in the air to show him. "It's an invitation for Mrs. Thornton," she announced proudly.

"An invitation?" Nathan asked. "For what?" he gulped, wondering what Allie was inviting Elizabeth to.

"To dinner here. All the kids are doing it," she told him. And all the kids were. Taking turns inviting the teacher around to dinner at their house. It was a real coup to have the teacher over and Allie wanted to do it too. To be like her friends. To fit in and be like them.

"Allie," Nathan cleared his throat. "Allie, I don't think that's such a good idea," he said, knowing he and Elizabeth were still on the outs and she would not be inclined to come to his house anytime soon.

"Why not?" Allie asked, her eyes down on the invitation in front on her as she began to draw a decorative edge on it. "If you're worried about the cooking, I'll help you," she offered, knowing her uncle wasn't a very good cook.

"It's not that," Nathan said. "I just think Mrs. Thornton is a very busy lady and she won't want to come," he said, trying to let Allie down gently. "So I'd like it if you didn't invite her," he told her, refusing her permission to do so.

"But why? Is it...is it because we're not a real family?" Allie asked, turning to look at him, hesitancy in her eyes. She knew the other kids' families were different. Most of them had a mom and a dad, and brothers and sisters. Some of them just had a mom or just a dad but even still Allie knew that she and Uncle Nathan were a little different. There was just the two of them, and he wasn't her dad, just her uncle.

"Allie! Why would you say that?" Nathan asked in surprise. "Allie, of course we're a real family!" he told her emphatically.

"Then why can't I...?"

"Allie, I said no!" Nathan said, more sharply than he wanted, immediately regretting his words and his tone.

As Allie nodded and obediently put the paper aside, something like hurt in her eyes, Nathan gritted his teeth in pain. Oh, he didn't like this. That he'd hurt her. He'd always tried to be gentle with her, tender and loving, never harsh, never the way of his own upbringing and it pained him that he'd failed.

Nathan set the dinner on the table, then took his spot opposite Allie. He lay his arms straight out on the table, reaching both hands across it to her. "Come on," he gently prodded, motioning with his fingers. Obediently Allie leaned forward to place her hands in his and they both lowered their heads.

"Dear Lord, we ask you to bless this food before us," Nathan began the prayer. "We thank you for your abundance, even though it's just beans and Allie doesn't like them," he said, feeling Allie suppress a smirk across the way. "Dear Lord, I ask you to please let Allie know I'm sorry I was brusque with her. Please let her know I love her and I am thankful she puts up with me and my terrible jokes." Allie was having difficulty suppressing the smirk and she bit her lip trying to contain it. "Lord, we ask your safekeeping over us and your guidance to follow your path. In Jesus name. Amen," Nathan finished up the prayer to Allie's accompanying Amen.

Nathan looked up, meeting Allie's eyes with tenderness in his own, a small smile on his face. As Allie gave a small smile and nod back, Nathan squeezed one of her hands before letting go. "Now get to eating those beans!" he commanded playfully. "You know I don't like it when they get cold!"


	15. Chapter 15

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 15

Allie Grant sat on a large rock in the schoolyard pretending to read. She didn't want to play with the other children at recess today and knew this activity would give her reprieve, even from Mrs. Thornton's eyes since her teacher knew how much she liked to read. Mrs. Thornton had even written a book herself and Allie had wondered if she could do the same some day. Write a book. She'd been trying her hand at writing lately, inspired by Mrs. Thornton, in the journal her uncle had given her. In fact, that was what she was pretending to read right now. Her journal. It kinda looked like a book.

But she was only pretending because there were other things on Allie's mind. Uncle Nathan hadn't let her invite Mrs. Thornton to dinner at their house. It had upset Allie then and she was still upset. Because she knew it wasn't just the dinner. Something had changed. Something had changed lately. It's like Mrs. Thornton didn't want to be around them anymore. When Allie and Uncle Nathan had been in the mercantile not long ago and Mrs. Thornton had come in, she'd quickly left when she spotted them. And there had been other times. Other times Allie felt that she didn't want to be around them.

And it confused Allie, because she'd thought Mrs. Thornton liked her. She'd always been so helpful to her, in school and out. She let her sing in her choir and oh, there was just a million other ways she had conveyed her approval to her. But somehow lately that had all changed. Oh, she supposed nothing was different at school. Things were still the same there, the way she acted and treated her. And maybe Allie hadn't made the connection that things were only different when she was with Uncle Nathan, but she still felt the change just the same. Her mind on her thoughts, Allie got up and moved away.

Elizabeth Thornton rang the bell as she stood on the steps of the schoolhouse a short while later, signalling the end of the recess. She waited until the last student filed in then turned to follow them up the aisle. At the front she turned around to survey her students as they settled into their seats. Almost immediately she spotted the omission.

"Has anyone seen Allie?" she asked her students, her brow puzzled. Allie's spot at her desk was empty.

Elizabeth watched her students look amongst themselves, before turning back to her to shake their heads no as Elizabeth's expression grew more perplexed.

"I think I saw her go off into the woods a little while ago," Opal spoke up. She'd seen her go off but not return.

"Which way, Opal?" Elizabeth asked. Opal looked out a nearby window and pointed.

"Out that way," she said.

"Okay," Elizabeth nodded. "Everyone, please open your readers and read quietly. I'll be back shortly," she announced, striding down the aisle and heading out the schoolhouse doors.

This was unlike Allie, Elizabeth thought as she rounded the schoolhouse and made towards the woods in back. Allie hadn't skipped school in ages, not since those few rough weeks when she'd firist come to Hope Valley. And she must know recess was over, that it was time. She'd have heard the bell, even from the woods.

It didn't take Elizabeth long to find Allie, sitting quietly on a large log that lay on the ground, a book on her lap, and Elizabeth drew near, stopping within a few feet of her. "Allie, recess is over," Elizabeth reminded her. But Allie didn't respond, just stared off in the distance, her face averted from Elizabeth's. "Allie?" Elizabeth said, sensing now that something was wrong. Still getting no response Elizabeth moved closer to the child, drawing up her skirt a little to sit beside her on the log, her body crossways to Allie's, as she faced in one direction and Allie the other.

"Allie, is something the matter?" Elizabeth asked gently.

Allie didn't respond, only swallowed deeply.

"Allie, I thought you and I could always talk together," Elizabeth coaxed. "Can't you tell me what's wrong?" she asked.

Allie swallowed again. Continuing to stare ahead, she asked, her voice small, "Why don't you like us anymore?"

"What?" Elizabeth asked, surprised by the question, shocked even.

"Me and Uncle Nathan. Why don't you like us anymore?" Allie asked again, anguish beginning to creep into her voice as Elizabeth inhaled sharply in shock. Suddenly, Allie's composure broke and she turned tearful and anguished eyes towards Elizabeth. "Did I do something wrong? Because I promise! I promise I won't do it anymore!" she pleaded pitifully, desperately.

It was like a knife had seared through Elizabeth's heart at Allie's pain, her hurt. She reached to grasp Allie's arms. "Allie, listen to me, you didn't do anything wrong," she told her, desperate herself now to set the child straight. "This has nothing to do with you," she told her, thinking of her disagreement with Nathan. This was between them. It had nothing to do with Allie. It didn't affect her. Or so she thought.

Allie's eyes gazed into Elizabeth's, hearing her words, as she tried to drink in the reassurance there. Maybe everything was okay. Maybe...

"Uncle Nathan says you won't come...you won't come to supper with us," she said, watching Elizabeth, trying to read her, scanning for answers in her eyes. Maybe Uncle Nathan was wrong. Maybe Mrs. Thornton would come. But then she saw it, the hesitation, the confliction in Elizabeth's eyes and she knew. Uncle Nathan was right. Suddenly she pulled away from Elizabeth. "I'm not a little kid anymore!" she shouted to Elizabeth, more angry than hurt now. "I know when something's wrong!" Reaching to the journal in her lap, Allie took it in her hands and gave it a sharp yank, tearing it into two. She threw the pieces on the ground, then got up, storming around the log past Elizabeth and back towards the schoolhouse.

"Allie!" Elizabeth called after her, but there was no use and Elizabeth slumped in defeat. What had she done? What had she done? Elizabeth's eyes fell to the torn book on the ground and she picked up one of the pieces. It wasn't a book...it was a journal, she realized as she turned it around in her lap. Was this the journal Nathan had given Allie? The one because he knew that that's how she'd begun writing, in a journal too? Elizabeth opened the cover to the first page reading the words there. Reading the words there, written in Allie's handwriting:

Short Stories

by

Alexandra Grant

Elizabeth put a hand to her mouth, stifling with a whimper the bolt of pain that shot through her. What had she done? What had she done? Something Elizabeth thought she never would, never could.

She had hurt a child.


	16. Chapter 16

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 16

Over. Elizabeth wanted this over. This disagreement, this impasse with Nathan. She'd been naive to think it only affected them. Now it had hurt Allie. And if she were truthful, Little Jack too. Since this had all happened Nathan had avoided his daily visits to the rowhouse, thinking his presence unwanted, and Elizabeth knew even Little Jack was feeling the loss.

So she wanted this over. She would make amends. Nathan had tried to speak with her several times since that day in the schoolhouse but she had rebuffed all his attempts. If he wasn't willing to give her answers, then there was no way past it. But now she thought differently. Nathan had been nothing but kind to them since his arrival in Hope Valley. Kind to her and Little Jack and if there was something he couldn't tell her, she would have to trust there was a reason for it. So she would simply trust. She would _choose _to trust.

Elizabeth knew that was a risk. A risk to her heart. She knew...no, she hoped, the trust was warranted, but knew too, there was a chance it wasn't. Bill hadn't found out anything yet, maybe he never would, but for now, and in the meantime, Elizabeth would simply trust. It took a measure of bravery, this leap of faith, but Elizabeth was willing to take it, for Allie, for Little Jack, for herself even. Drawing a deep breath she turned the handle of the door to the Mountie office.

"Elizabeth!" Nathan said in stunned surprise as he stood from his desk at her entrance. What was she doing here? Was there something wrong? He couldn't imagine she was seeking him out other than as the town Mountie. No, she had gone out of her way to avoid him lately, so there must be something wrong for her to come here to him now.

"Nathan," Elizabeth nodded and approached his desk. "I wonder if I might speak to you. If you have a moment," she began solemnly and tentatively. "About a private matter," she added, letting him know this wasn't Mountie business.

"Of course!" Nathan said. "Do you want to do it here or...?" he trailed off, knowing she usually liked to talk at the schoolhouse, that she was more comfortable on her turf, not his.

"No, no, this is fine," Elizabeth said, then swallowed. "Nathan, I want to apologize...no, no," Elizabeth said as Nathan made to interrupt her, to forestall her apology. She had nothing to apologize for, he thought, this was all his doing. His duty and honour had put them in this situation and she needn't apologize for any it. "No, let me finish," Elizabeth said, putting up her hand to his objections. "I want to apologize for my reaction that day at the schoolhouse. I was wrong to try to force answers from you. I know you must have your reasons for not telling me about Jack. And I'm...I'm not going to force them from you. If you'll forgive me, I'd like to be friends again, that is, if you want to," she said, wondering if he'd want the same, maybe he wouldn't.

"Elizabeth, of course I do!" Nathan said, something like gratitude and relief washing over him. "Elizabeth, I...I never meant to hurt you," he said, knowing he had. "I'm truly sorry if I did," he apologized too. Nathan took a deep breath. "And I would be happy to be friends again," he said sincerely. Being on the outs with Elizabeth had been one of the worst times of his life and he was anxious for it to be ended as well.

Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief. Apology given, accepted and reciprocated. How good it felt. "So," she said, lifting her chin a little, "I hear Allie would like to have me over for supper?" she asked, an inquiring look in her eyes.

Nathan smiled. "Yes, she would. Monday night, if you're free?" Nathan invited. At Elizabeth's nod, he smiled to add, "That is, if you're brave enough to try my cooking."

Elizabeth eyed him directly, lifting her chin a tad more, something more behind her words. "Yes Nathan, I think I'm brave enough," she said, as a look passed between them and they held their gaze to one another a moment. Finally Elizabeth nodded to him, then turned from the room, knowing she had one more amend to make, one more apology to make, and that this one might be even more difficult than the first.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Elizabeth found Allie sitting on the banks of the creek. Her fishing rod lay abandoned at her side and she sat with her arms propped on her knees as she stared out over the water. Elizabeth drew a breath as she approached her, stopping a short distance to the side and back of her.

"Hello, Allie," she began but there was no response. "I...uh...I have something for you, Allie," she said, holding it out in front of her and taking a step closer.

Allie turned to look, her eyes glancing at the journal Mrs. Thornton held out to her, before she turned her focus back to the water, affecting disinterest.

"It's a journal," Elizabeth said. "See?" Elizabeth said, moving to sit next to Allie on the slope by the creek. "See?" she repeated, holding the journal over towards Allie. Allie slid her eyes over to look, too curious to resist but still pretending disinterest. "It's one of mine, from when I was about your age. I never finished it," Elizabeth explained, "and I thought maybe you'd like to have it, you know, pick up where I left off?" Elizabeth invited. Elizabeth turned to the cover page. "See?" she coaxed.

Unable to resist, Allie glanced over from the side of her eyes, sliding her eyes over the page Mrs. Thornton was showing her and reading the words written there in childish scrawl.

Short Stories

by

Elizabeth Thatcher

Allie swallowed but still affected disinterest. "I guess I'll just put it here then," Elizabeth said to Allie's continued disinterest, setting the journal next to her. Elizabeth looked out over the water and took a deep breath. "Allie, I want you to know that everything is okay now between your uncle and me and that...that I'll come to supper with you. Is that okay with you?" she asked. "Is that okay if I come?"

Allie merely shrugged next to her and Elizabeth took another breath. "Allie, when adults disagree they shouldn't ever let it hurt a child," she began. "And I was wrong, Allie. I was wrong to let it happen. I'm so sorry. Will you forgive me?" she asked, turning her head to look at Allie in profile.

Suddenly Allie's chin began to quiver and her face crumpled. She executed several quick short nods, then twisted to fling herself at Elizabeth, throwing her arms around her. Immediately Elizabeth drew her arms around Allie's back, drawing her close as she hugged her in return. The she laid her head atop the child's and closed her eyes.

"Thank you, Allie," she breathed softly, gratefully. "Thank you."


	17. Chapter 17

.

,

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 17

Elizabeth Thornton could already smell smoke as she ascended the stairs of Nathan Grant's rowhouse that Monday night. The bitter, acrid smell of something burning. She rapped lightly on the door, only to draw back startled when it was quickly opened and Nathan appeared on the other side, seeming a tad frazzled.

"Elizabeth, you're here," he said inanely. Of course she was, this was the day and time she'd been invited to dinner. Nathan seemed embarrassed. "It's just...just things didn't go quite according to plan," he apologized, tilting his back towards his kitchen.

Elizabeth peered around him into his house. Was that...was that a haze of smoke she saw? she looked back to him, her brow arched and a question in her eyes. "Yeah," Nathan confirmed. "I kinda burned our dinner," he told her apologetically.

"Well, are you going to let me in?" Elizabeth asked, she'd been standing at his door longer than necessary she thought.

"Oh, yes, of course!" Nathan corrected his oversight, standing back to allow her to pass.

As Elizabeth entered the room, she was immediately drawn towards the kitchen. There on the counter lay remnants of burnt biscuits, in the sink a pot of burnt potatoes. She arched a brow and turned to meet Nathan's eyes, a question in hers.

Understanding her question, Nathan sighed. "Burnt too," he answered. "In the oven."

Elizabeth shook her head is disbelief then proceeded to the oven to pull open the door, bending down to peer into it. Inside lay the remains of a charred roast, or at least she thought that's what it was. "Nathan!" she exclaimed with a teasing scold, tilting her head to look over at him. "What have you done?" she asked. Was it really so hard to cook a dinner? Was it really possible to mess it up so badly? Wait, Elizabeth stopped herself, remembering her own early attempts at cooking. Yes, she corrected herself, it really was possible. She closed the oven door and straightened.

Just then Allie came in from the rear yard, a jar of flowers in her hand. She'd been out picking them for Mrs. Thornton's arrival, leaving her uncle to attend the dinner. Allie took in the scene, the smell, and the decidedly black colour of the various food items in the kitchen. "Oh no! Not again!" she threw her head back in mock frustration. "I _told_ you he can't cook!" she opined to Elizabeth, rolling her eyes and shaking her head for emphasis.

"Listen Elizabeth, maybe we can do this another night?" Nathan asked, thinking, no, knowing, that nothing was salvageable from what he'd cooked and maybe it was better they did this another time.

Immediately, Allie groaned in disappointment, then glared at her uncle. She'd told everyone at school Mrs. Thornton was coming tonight for supper and now she'd have to recant her words tomorrow.

Nathan tilted his head at Allie and arched his shoulders. He raised his hands, palms up as if to say 'but what can I do?'

Elizabeth glanced from one to the other, reading their silent conversation, then chimed in to say, "We can have dinner at my house," she offered, as two pair of eyes turned simultaneously in her direction. "I mean, if you don't mind leftovers," she said.

Suddenly Allie's eyes lit with delight. Dinner at Mrs. Thornton's! This was even better. Wait till she told the kids at school. Allie fixed her delighted eyes on her uncle. "Can we, Uncle Nathan? Can we?"

Nathan let out a sigh of hesitation. "We don't want to impose," he told Elizabeth. This wasn't supposed to be the way of it. They were supposed to host her, not she them.

"It's no imposition," Elizabeth was saying. "And for my own health, I think it'd be safer," she teased with a smile, referencing the charred offerings of Nathan's kitchen.

Nathan laughed. "I can't argue with that," he agreed with a smile. He turned to look at Allie. "Looks like we're eating at Mrs. Thornton's," he told her as Allie let out a squeal of glee.

"Oh, Mrs. Thornton," Allie said brightly remembering. "I picked these for you," she said, holding out her jar of flowers. "I hope you like them," she said.

Elizabeth looked at the offering, drawing in her breath, first in surprise, then in pleasure. "Allie, they're perfect," she told her, reaching out take the offered jar, overflowing with bright yellow flowers with red centers.

Coreopsis.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Inside her rowhouse, Elizabeth moved to take Little Jack from Laura's arms. "You don't need to stay late tonight, Laura, we're going to eat here," Elizabeth informed her nanny. She had asked Laura to stay late to watch Little Jack while she had dinner at Nathan's but now that was no longer necessary. "Thank you, though, and I'll see you tomorrow," she added.

"It's no problem, Mrs. Thornton. See you tomorrow," the young woman called over her shoulder as she headed out the door. Elizabeth turned, her child in her arms, to beckon Nathan and Allie further into the room. "Please come in. Make yourself at home. It won't take me long to heat up the leftovers," she said, looking around for a spot to set Little Jack down. He didn't like his playpen much anymore, he was really getting too big for it and she didn't quite know what to do with him while she prepared the dinner.

Seeing her dilemma, Nathan immediately reached out. "Here, I can take him," he said.

Elizabeth's eyed widened in surprise. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Of course!" Nathan said, already reaching for and lifting Little Jack into his arms. "We're old friends, aren't we?" he asked the child with a smile.

Elizabeth watched a moment, watched him take the child over near the settee before she brushed her hands down her dress, then turned to find her apron.

Allie was studying the books on Elizabeth's bookcase. My, Mrs. Thornton had a lot of books. She'd never seen so many in one place, outside of the library. Elizabeth spotted Allie eyeing her bookcase and smiled. "Help yourself to a book, Allie," she encouraged the child.

Allie selected one, a very large one with coloured pictures and she went over to where her uncle was. Nathan had set Little Jack before a pile of wooden toys on the floor, blocks and wagons and horses and more, all made of wood, one of two of them were ones Nathan had carved himself. As Little Jack began to play with his toys, Nathan sat down on the floor near him, hooking an arm off the seat of the settee, the other across a knee, as he reclined comfortably. Now Allie joined them, as she sat cross-legged on the floor, her book open and flat before her as she perused its pages.

From her spot in the kitchen, Elizabeth's eye was drawn to the companionable trio not far away. She watched Nathan roll a small toy wagon around in front of Little Jack, eliciting giggles of laughter. Then she watched him help Allie with a long word from her book, as Allie turned it towards him looking for help and he leaned forward to read it and recite it to her. Allie held up the book in front of Little Jack. "Look at this, Little Jack," she said of the colourful image, as Little Jack's eyes moved from the page up to Allie's face and back.

Elizabeth watched the scene and something smiled in her heart. How easy and companionable they were. The three of them. Together. How comfortable Nathan was with the children, directing his attention first from one then to the other, dividing his attention equally between them. Elizabeth drew a long deep breath, then turned back towards the stove.

It was a short time later, when Elizabeth began to lay the dinnerware on the table that Allie looked questioningly at her uncle. At his nod of approval, Allie turned to ask, "Can I set the table for you, Mrs. Thornton?"

"Allie, yes, thank you, that would be lovely," Elizabeth said, looking up, appreciating the offer of help. As Allie scrambled from the floor, Elizabeth piled plates and cutlery on the table for Allie to lay out for each place setting.

"Can I do anything to help?" Nathan offered from his place on the floor, wondering if he could help with the dinner.

"No, Nathan," Elizabeth said in mock seriousness, a note of teasing creeping into her voice. "I think the best way you can help is to stay out of my kitchen," she informed him.

Nathan laughed at her implied meaning, shaking his head. She was not going to let him live this down, that burned dinner tonight. He shook his head some more, then realized something. Her teasing, her lightness, made him feel light and easy too and if he had a burned dinner to thank for it, it was a small price to pay.

It was a short time later than Elizabeth called everyone to dinner. It was just stew, but there were fresh biscuits that hadn't taken long to make and there'd be pie for dessert, an apple one she'd made yesterday.

As Nathan approached the table, Little Jack face forward in his arms, Elizabeth went to take the child, to put him in his chair, but Nathan waved her off. "No, no, I got it," he informed her, expertly placing Little Jack into his chair, one that had a large wooden block affixed to it to raise the child to table height. Nathan expertly tightened a cloth belt that hung there around Little Jack's chest, tying it around him and the back of the chair, meant to keep him from falling out. Elizabeth watched him with surprise before Nathan looked over to meet her eyes. "I've done this before," he said with a smile, should she wonder where he'd acquired such a skill, as he finished tightening the belt then tucked Little Jack and his chair up close to the table.

Elizabeth nodded. Of course. He'd done this with Allie, she reminded herself. Elizabeth reached behind herself to untie her apron, raising it over her head then placing it on the side board. "Nathan," she gestured to his spot. "Allie," she indicated the spot next to Little Jack, as they sat down in their assigned spots and Elizabeth took her own place opposite Nathan.

"Well, dig in everybody," Elizabeth invited with a smile, before Allie looked from Elizabeth to her uncle in surprise. Surprise that it seemed they were to eat straight away.

"Aren't we going to say grace?" she asked. They always did at home.

Nathan cleared his throat. "This is Mrs. Thornton's house, Allie. We'll abide by her customs," he corrected.

"No, no, please do," Elizabeth said. "I confess with just Little Jack and me here, I've gotten a little lax in saying grace. I'd be pleased if you said it now," she told Nathan, as she looked at him with the request.

Nathan nodded and Allie, pleased that it was her doing, reached for her uncle's hand. She turned to her right and caught one of Little Jack's hands in hers. Surprised, Elizabeth remarked, "Oh. Okay," she said, seeing the process, she reached for Little Jack's other hand, smiling at the little boy as she did so. Suddenly she looked up to catch Nathan's eyes as he stretched a long arm toward her across the far edge of the table, his palm up. Elizabeth's gaze traveled to his hand and she reached out to lay her own hand gently and lightly in his. Nathan lowered his head, and Allie and Elizabeth followed likewise. Only Little Jack remained upright, looking around him at the others with curiosity.

"Dear Lord," Nathan began. "Please bless this food and the hands that prepared it. We thank Mrs. Thornton for sharing her meal with us. We thank Allie for setting the table and we thank Little Jack for the smiles he has brought us today. We ask your safekeeping over us and your guidance to follow your path. In Jesus name. Amen."

"Amen," Elizabeth and Allie echoed after him, before all of them released hands. Elizabeth looked up to meet Nathan's eyes, touched by his simple prayer. It was of some note to her that he hadn't stumbled on the words. No, in prayer his words had been smooth and sure. She didn't wonder long on it though, before she turned, scooping some stew onto her son's plate, then reached for a knife and fork to cut the morsels into tiny pieces.


	18. Chapter 18

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 18

Bill Avery got off the phone with his connection at Mountie headquarters and rubbed his jaw, mulling the information he'd just gotten. He had pulled some strings, gotten an old friend who owed him a favour to access Nathan Grant's personnel file and what he'd learned had surprised him. It was all there in his file. Nathan hadn't been assigned to Hope Valley. He'd _asked _to be placed here. Bill Avery shook his head, mulling the mystery. Why would Nathan have wanted to come here, to Hope Valley? Not to be unkind to the town he loved, but Bill knew no Mountie would _ask _to be assigned here. Not to what was basically a small hick town out in the middle of nowhere.

So what was he doing here? Bill wondered. Why would an up-and-coming Mountie with plenty of opportunities to climb the ranks _ask _for such a lowly assignment? And why hadn't he told Elizabeth he had once known Jack? Was there some connection there? Bill looked down at the photograph on his desk in front of him, the faces of the cadets staring back at him. He'd traced many of them, now scattered far and wide and there was one, one close enough to visit face-to-face. Calvin Roberts was now working a desk job in Union City. Bill picked up the phone. He would make a call and arrange a visit. He'd wait to tell Elizabeth of his findings so far. He'd wait until he had more to tell her. Because he would. He would have more to tell her. He would get to the bottom of this mystery if it was the last thing he did.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Nathan Grant stood at the bottom of the schoolhouse steps, his mouth agape in surprise. It was two weeks after his dinner at Elizabeth's house and he was there because Allie had forgotten her lunch pail and he was bringing it to her. But now he was surprised. The doors to the school house were flung wide open, propped in place by two bricks on either side. But it was the noise that surprised him the most. The noise coming from inside was boisterous and unlike any schoolroom setting he'd ever attended.

Nathan ascended the stairs then stood at the threshold of the room, even more surprised as he surveyed the room. It was what could be described as contained chaos. Most of the pews had been pushed aside, freeing up a large space in the middle of the room. Long sheets of large-sized paper were spread across the floor and many of the students sat of the floor, some were even flat on their stomachs, as they busily coloured or painted. Other students darted from one place to another, mixing paints or stringing streamers. The chatter and noise was deafening. Nathan took a step into the room, depositing Allie's lunch pail nearby and scanned the room again. He spotted Elizabeth in a corner near the front, directing children as they came to her with questions or asked for guidance. Next he spotted Allie sitting cross-legged before a drawing as she leaned forward with her paintbrush. He approached her and crouched next to her.

Allie turned her head at her uncle's sudden appearance at her side at school. "I brought your lunch, Allie, it's back there," Nathan explained, swiveling to gesture towards the table at back.

"Oh, thank you, Uncle Nathan!" Allie said gratefully. She knew she had forgotten her lunch today but when she'd realized it it was too late to go back for it.

"What are you working on, Allie?" Nathan asked, curious at all the commotion, directed at some project the class appeared to be working on.

"It's for Founder's Day," Allie told him. "We're painting murals for Founder's Day," she said, gesturing to her own section on the large sheet in front of her. "What do you think?" she asked his opinion.

Nathan surveyed her work, a realistic drawing of a train and train station. Why they must be painting stories about the town's history, Nathan realized, and Allie was painting when the trains had first come. "I think it's great, Allie," he enthused. "But I have to get going now, okay?" he said and squeezed her arm. He hadn't meant to be an interloper to the proceedings, he'd just meant to drop off Allie's lunch. At Allie's nod to him, Nathan rose to his feet and turned.

"Elizabeth!" Nathan said in surprise when he met her eyes as she stood close to him. He hadn't seen her approach.

"Nathan, how nice of you to visit the class," Elizabeth said in a teasing voice, her brow arched at him.

"Um, I just came to bring Allie her lunch," he fumbled a gesture towards his niece. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude..."

"Nathan, don't be silly," Elizabeth dropped her teasing tone. "We're delighted you came by. I'm sure the children would love to show you what they're working on, if you have time."

"I have time," Nathan answered.

Elizabeth turned, inviting Nathan to follow as she began an explanation. "We're going to have an open house for Founder's Day here at the school. I thought we'd do murals depicting the town's history and hang them all around the room," Elizabeth stopped to gesture from one far wall, sweeping her arm around to the front and then down the other side. "That way visitors can walk around the room, visiting the town's changes in chronological order," she explained.

"Elizabeth, that's a wonderful idea!" Nathan enthused. How enthusiastic she was. About her classroom, about her teaching. No wonder Allie loved to come to school, loved learning and loved her teacher. It certainly was nothing like the schoolrooms he remembered of his boyhood, strict and stifling in their dullness. And Founder's Day. Was it Founder's Day again already? He remembered the one from last year. The one where he'd stammered to Elizabeth the inane comment that "the founders would be p-proud." She had flustered him then, he wasn't as tongue-tied with her now, but he was then and the remembrance still made him wince.

"This one was hard," Elizabeth paused before another mural on the ground, her hands clasped in front of her. Nathan looked down. It was scenes of the coal mine, from when Hope Valley had once been Coal Valley and there had been a terrible mine tragedy. Alongside the scenes of mining the children had drawn a simple memorial with the words "We Remember" on it and then underneath were the names of the miners, the miners lost that day. "This one was hard," Elizabeth repeated. "But I think it's important to acknowledge _all _of the history, even the losses, and not just the good parts. Don't you think?" Elizabeth asked, looking over to meet his eyes.

Nathan nodded to her, but there was a question in his eyes. She'd said it was important to acknowledge all of the losses. Elizabeth read his question, understood it. She nodded back to him, then gestured him to follow her. Elizabeth led Nathan over to another mural, knowing before he looked what it would be. "The children wanted to make it," she told him simply and Nathan nodded in understanding. Nathan peered down at the drawing. A man in red serge sitting proudly on a dark horse, with the simple words "Mountie Jack" underneath. Nathan's eyes went back to Elizabeth's, a tender understanding in them, a gentle compassion, before Elizabeth turned, drawing his attention to other drawings, other works commemorating the town's history.

There were drawings of the switchboard and telephones, when automobiles had first appeared, when electric lights were first installed. And buildings. Depictions of what was once open space now inhabited by structures, the images all dated and carefully chronologized.

"Elizabeth, you've done an amazing job here," Nathan whistled appreciatively as he surveyed the work.

"Not me," Elizabeth countered modestly. "It's the children..." she trailed off, only to be interrupted by one of the children who'd come up to her.

"Mrs. Thornton, can you help me hang this?" the child asked.

"Yes, of course," Elizabeth agreed, taking the stringed streamer from the child's hand and moving towards the side of the room, a waiting ladder there. Elizabeth hoisted her skirts with one hand, dangling the streamer from the other and ascended two steps of the ladder. She twisted her body, in an attempt to pin the streamer to the wall when she suddenly lost her footing and began to wobble alarmingly. Suddenly Nathan was at her side, reaching his hands around her waist as he pulled her down from the ladder to set her safely on the ground as Elizabeth let out a gasp at the sudden unexpected contact. Immediately releasing her after his rescue, the palms of his hands burning from the contact, Nathan said, "Here, why don't you let me do that?"

Elizabeth swallowed then nodded, as Nathan reached to take the streamer from her hand. She guessed it was impractical and unsafe of her to be climbing ladders in her long skirts. "Here I'll hold the..." was all Elizabeth got out as she reached to hold the ladder for him before she realized he had already brushed past her and was pinning the streamer to the wall, easily reaching high to do so. Elizabeth brushed her hands down her skirts as she cleared her throat and looked away. "Well, um, I guess that works too," she said under her breath, only remembering now how tall Nathan was, that he didn't need the ladder.

Nathan stayed a while after that, helping to hang the streamers, and then the finished murals all around the walls of the schoolhouse, then he helped the children push their desks back into place. Elizabeth stood at the front and clapped her hands for attention. "Alright children, settle down, take your seats," she commanded with authority as the children moved to do her bidding.

"Children, I'd like you to thank Constable Grant for visiting today and helping us with our project," she instructed the children, as the children turned their heads towards Nathan standing at the side of the room.

"Thank you Constable Grant," the children chanted in unison, all except Allie who silently mouthed the words "Thank You Uncle Nathan" in an exaggerated fashion and wagged her head at him, jutting her chin in his direction. Nathan winked back at his niece and suppressed a smile.

"Now please open your readers and turn to Chapter 2," Elizabeth was instructing. "Ill be back in a moment," she said, walking towards the aisle and inclining her head, indicating to Nathan she would walk him out.

As the pair met outside on the front stoop of the schoolhouse, Elizabeth turned to Nathan. "Thank you for coming today, Nathan. I think the children really enjoyed it." And she had too, Elizabeth thought, if she were being honest.

"Happy to help," Nathan said simply. "And like I said, I think you've done an amazing job," he repeated his earlier compliment.

"I think the children have," Elizabeth agreed. "I think...I think the founders would be p-proud," she stammered, immediately feeling flustered at her stammer. And what an inane thing to say. Why had she said that? And why did it sound so familiar? She looked over to Nathan, wondering if had noticed her peculiar statement, only to find Nathan studying her, a puzzled look on his face. Elizabeth swallowed. "I won't keep you longer, Nathan, I know you must be getting back to work," she said.

Nathan nodded, placed his hat on his head and with a tip to Elizabeth he turned, descending the schoolhouse stairs.


	19. Chapter 19

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 19

Elizabeth entered the judge's office and her eyes widened as Bill Avery stood before her, his feet braced, hands on his hips. Immediately, she knew. Could read from the expression on his face, why he'd called her here today.

"You know something," she stated the obvious as Bill nodded his head to her. He'd just gotten back from Union City, from his meeting with Calvin Roberts and finally the pieces of the puzzle had fallen into place. It all made so much sense now.

"Elizabeth?" Bill asked, taking in Elizabeth's expression. "You want to know, right? You want to know what I found out?" he asked, because something on Elizabeth's face showed that maybe she didn't. Maybe she didn't want to know.

For a brief second, Elizabeth thought the same. That maybe she didn't want to know. She'd chosen to simply trust Nathan, that he'd had reasons for his secrecy about Jack and she had come to terms with that decision. And she'd been happy since, at peace even, realizing her heart was opening to Nathan, this quiet man, his quiet ways, steadfast and sure. And now Bill had found out something. What if...what if it was something to negate her trust? What if...? Elizabeth shook her head.

"Tell me what you know," she told him. Good or bad, she would have to know.

Bill gestured to a chair and Elizabeth shook her head. "Okay," Bill said before launching. "First, Nathan was never assigned to Hope Valley. He asked to be placed here," he laid that information at her door. At Elizabeth's wide eyes, Bill nodded. "He came here on purpose."

"But why?" Elizabeth cried. Why would Nathan deliberately come to Hope Valley? It made no sense. And she still didn't know what this had to do with Jack. Why he'd kept his knowing him from her.

Bill drew in a deep breath, knowing he'd have to go back, go back to the very beginning of the story for her to understand. He drew a few steps closer to her. "Elizabeth, basic training at the academy is...rough," he began. "It's six months of intense training, day and night and your fellow cadets, well, they become like brothers. You become very close, very fast. You train together, eat together, bunk together. You're around each other 24 hours a days under tough circumstances," he explained.

"So...you think Nathan and Jack were close? At the academy?" Elizabeth was trying to follow along.

"I do," Bill nodded. It had been such a small group in the graduating class, of course they had been close. Even in the short term, even for just those six months before their lives had diverged and scattered them far and wide. Even if they never saw each other again, for that time they would have been like brothers, the group of them, more than brothers really.

"And?" Elizabeth prompted.

"And sometimes under those circumstances, sometimes promises are made," Bill said, remembering what Calvin Roberts had told him. Told him of the night the cadets had made promises amongst themselves, with one another, pairing off in sets.

"What do you mean? What promises?" Elizabeth asked.

Bill sighed. He had to do this right. Make sure she understood. "Elizabeth, when you're a close group of men, and you've chosen this dangerous profession, all of you have, you're in it together. And you talk, you talk with each other, and you know that some of you won't make it. You know that some of your brothers will be cut down. So you make promises," Bill said. Slowly he began to recite how such a promise might go. "If anything happens to you I'll watch over your family."

Elizabeth's eyes widened, suddenly putting the pieces together. "You think...you think Nathan made some kind of promise to Jack to watch over his family?" At Bill's nod, Elizabeth objected, "But Jack didn't have a family then!" At least not her and Little Jack, not this family. Did he mean his mother, his brother? But Bill was shaking his head. "They weren't promising for those families, Elizabeth. They were promising for the future. For the future families," he said.

"But that was ten years ago!" she objected. "Nathan said he never saw Jack again!" she said, wondering about such a long ago promise.

"It wouldn't matter, Elizabeth. It was still a promise," Bill explained to her the way of it. The Mountie way. The Mountie code. Duty. Honour.

Elizabeth shook her head, trying to take it all in. Had Nathan come here to watch over her and Little Jack because of some promise he'd made? Elizabeth blinked, thinking it through, trying to remember. The first thing Nathan had done when he arrived was...to bring her Jack's pension. Was that normal protocol? For the incoming Mountie to personally deliver a pension? Or had Nathan made a special effort to see it safely into her hands? And then she thought of the other things...how he did rounds to the rowhouses, checking on Little Jack's safety...again, was that normal protocol? To check on residences like that? She remembered the railing he'd built so Little Jack wouldn't fall off the porch...and ...and...it went on and suddenly it became clear to Elizabeth that that's precisely what Nathan had been doing. But in ways so subtle she'd been unaware.

"Bill, even if this is all true, why didn't he just tell me? Why all the secrecy?" she asked.

"Because he couldn't," Bill informed her. "That was part of the promise. That you couldn't know, that he couldn't tell you."

But Elizabeth was shaking her head. "How can you know that? You can't know that! You weren't there!" How could Bill know that secrecy was part of the promise?

Bill let out a long slow sigh. Elizabeth had known Jack for five years, married him, and she'd known Nathan for over a year and still she didn't fully understand the ways. The Mountie ways. But Bill did. And he had another way of knowing about the promise. He let out another slow sigh. "Elizabeth, I'm going to do something now because I think you need to know, you need to understand," he said, as Elizabeth turned inquiring eyes towards him. "Oh, I don't know," Bill shook his head. "Maybe it's because I'm getting old," he said. "Nearer the end of my life than the beginning. And I guess now I just care more about the living than the dead," he said.

"Bill!" Elizabeth said, a tad shocked, wondering what it was he was going to tell her.

"So, it's like this, Elizabeth. I'm going to break a promise I made. I'm going to break a promise, so you can see why Nathan couldn't break his," Bill said.

"What promise?" Elizabeth asked.

"A promise I made...to Jack," Bill said, as Elizabeth's eyes widened. "The night before his last mission, remember?" Bill asked. At Elizabeth's nod, Bill continued, "The night before his last mission Jack made me promise that if anything happened to him that I would watch over you, look out for you, make sure you were okay," he said, as Elizabeth blinked, taking in his words. "But I had to promise never to let you know, Elizabeth. That I couldn't tell you," he said, letting her absorb the words. If Jack had elicited such a promise of silence from Bill it would have been the same for Nathan.

Finally, to drive home his words and his point, Bill asked, "So, how'm I doing, Elizabeth? You tired of this old man hanging around all the time?" his words indicating he'd been doing just that, fulfilling Jack's promise to watch over her.

Her eyes fixed on Bill's face, Elizabeth's mind began to think back. All the times she's felt Bill's love and support since Jack's death, the times he'd been there for her and Little Jack, his steadfast presence in the storm of her grief. Suddenly her chin trembled, then her face crumpled and she raised hands over her face and began to cry. Immediately Bill came to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Hey, hey," he soothed. "I didn't mean to make you cry. I just wanted you to understand why Nathan couldn't tell you. That it was part of his promise. It was the Mountie way, the Mountie code," Bill said, and Elizabeth sniffled her tears and nodded. She understood. She understood now. "Don't be too hard on Nathan, Elizabeth. He was just doing what he thought he had to. And you know Jack would have done the same," he told her.

Elizabeth nodded. Jack would have done the same. Jack. And then something niggled in Elizabeth's mind. Jack. Because if Nathan had made a promise to Jack, then Jack would also have made one to Nathan. This wasn't a one-way street. It would have been an exchange of promises. If Nathan had promised to watch over Jack's family, then Jack would have promised to watch over Nathan's. And if something had happened to Nathan instead of Jack then Jack would have watched over his family. And Nathan's family was...Allie. But Allie had no one else in her life to care for her. So Jack...Jack would have...swiftly and surely Elizabeth knew. She knew that Jack would have. He would taken on responsibility for Allie, taken care of her, brought her to Hope Valley to raise even. And that meant...she would have too. She would have helped raise Allie too.

Suddenly, it all became overwhelming in Elizabeth's mind as she tried to sort it all out. It's like life was some sort of unfinished patchwork quilt, their lives the pieces. Constantly in flux, the pieces forming patterns, touching, connected, only to break apart and reform into new patterns, but always connected, one part of the whole, the patterns always changing, but the pieces the same. Elizabeth shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts. "Thank you, Bill," she said, finally. "Thank you for telling me all this," she said, turning from him and heading out the door.


	20. Chapter 20

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 20

Elizabeth closed up the library a few nights later, just after dark. She'd gone in the evening for a few hours so that people who worked in the daytime could visit and make their book selections. Little Jack was already in bed and Rosemary was sitting for her.

As Elizabeth made her way home she passed the Mountie office and noticed the lights still on. Nathan must be working late, she thought. She hadn't spoken to him about Bill's revelations yet, she had wanted to give herself some time to think things over. For while the discovery that his reasons for coming to Hope Valley were honourable, it still conflicted her. She had always been unsure of Nathan's feelings. She knew her own were growing, but he'd never given any indication of his. And maybe the small attentions he paid her were simply because he was fulfilling a promise and not because of some personal reasons of his own.

Elizabeth sighed. Maybe now was as good a time as any to begin the conversation, to clear the air. She approached the Mountie office door and turned the handle.

"Nathan!" she exclaimed as she entered. "What happened?" she asked. Nathan was standing in front of a pan of water that sat on his desk, his hand dipped inside, the water pink with blood.

Nathan turned towards Elizabeth ruefully. "Just a small injury," he said, embarrassed she had caught him like this.

An injury? Nathan was hurt? Elizabeth moved closer to get a better view. Immediately her mind worked the possibilities. Had he been shot? Stabbed? Fist fight? What kind of dangerous situation had he been involved in? "What happened?" Elizabeth asked again. "Did you get shot?"

Again, Nathan was rueful. "Nothing so exciting, I'm afraid. My horse fell," he explained.

"Your horse fell?"

"Hmm,mmm," Nathan replied. "It was dark, he stumbled and we both went down. I guess my hand hit something on the ground. A rock or something," he said, not really knowing for sure.

Elizabeth studied the pink water. "Why didn't you go to the infirmary? Get Carson to look at it?"

Nathan looked sheepish. "It's late. No one's there. I didn't want to disturb the doctor at home for this," he said, meeting Elizabeth's eyes, not wanting to bother anyone over so minor an injury.

Elizabeth sighed. "Okay, let me look at it," she instructed.

"What?" Nathan said, his eyes growing wide at her suggestion.

"Let me look at it. Sit down," she commanded, pulling a chair behind him. When he made no motion to move she said more forcefully, "Sit!"

Nathan puffed out his cheeks, then sat in compliance as Elizabeth reached for another chair and drew up across from him. Grabbing a small nearby towel she lifted his hand from the water to inspect his palm.

Nathan watched her as she bent over his hand and remarked. "Are you always this bossy? Or have your years of teaching just made you so?" he asked dryly.

A smile tugged at the corner of Elizabeth's mouth as she began to dab his injury dry. "Teaching may have honed the skill a little," she confessed, looking up to meet his eyes with a twinkle in hers. She looked back down to his hand. "It doesn't look too bad, not too deep," she remarked of the cut. "Do you have a first aid kit?" she asked.

Nathan nodded, inclining his head to the cabinet by the wall as Elizabeth went over to retrieve the kit. She opened it and pulled out a long length of bandages and a small bottle of disinfectant. She dabbed his wound clean, then began to wrap the bandage around his palm.

Nathan grit his teeth at Elizabeth's tender ministrations, thinking this was more painful than the cut had been. How careful she was being, glancing to his face occasionally while she worked, making sure she wasn't hurting him. It had been a long time since Nathan had had anyone fuss over him, if ever, and he found Elizabeth's kind attention here in the quiet darkened room just shy of overwhelming, her gentleness and softness, her presence, flooding his senses.

Finishing up her work, Elizabeth announced. "There. I think that's good for tonight. But promise me...promise me you'll have Carson look at it tomorrow?" she asked. At Nathan's nod, Elizabeth stood, intending to leave and Nathan stood as well, in deference to her movement. But Elizabeth hesitated. There was that word. That word between them. Promises.

"Nathan, I want you to know something," she began, swallowing with effort, then bravely pushed forward. "I know why you came to Hope Valley. I know about the promise you made to Jack," she said quietly, collectedly.

Nathan's eyes grew wide. She couldn't know about that. She couldn't have figured it out. At the questioning look in Nathans' eyes, Elizabeth supplied the answer.

"Bill. Bill figured it out. He told me," she said simply.

Bill! Of course, Bill! Nathan thought. Of course he should have known Bill might figure things out one day. Maybe he'd even expected it.

"I know you came here to watch over me and Little Jack," she said. "To make sure we were okay. And I want you to know, you don't have to do it anymore," she told him, relieving him of the duty he'd promised so long ago.

Nathan shook his head, both relieved and conflicted. Because it hadn't been that way at all. Maybe he'd come because of the promise, but things hadn't turned out the right way. Relieved now of his promise to keep it secret, now that she knew it all anyway, Nathan began his story. "Elizabeth, when I first came to Hope Valley I thought I could be of help to you. But it didn't take me long to see you didn't need any help, least of all mine," he admitted ruefully. "You had a whole townful of people watching over you," he told her "You are very loved, Elizabeth," he stated. "But then...then a peculiar thing started to happen," he expanded, his eyes becoming far off as Elizabeth listened intently. "Instead of me helping you, it was you helping me...me and Allie," he noted the irony. "It seemed like every time I turned around there you were, helping us. And it didn't seem right. That was not supposed to be the way of it," he confessed his failure. "So when I was offered that promotion at Christmas I thought, okay, now is the time to go. She doesn't need my help and I haven't been much help to her anyway," Nathan said, drawing a deep breath. "But then...then I found I couldn't leave."

"Allie," Elizabeth said, knowing what Nathan meant. That Allie had become so attached to Hope Valley he couldn't uproot her. And in a strange way, Elizabeth understood the child's stance. One way or another Hope Valley was Allie's destiny. Was it any wonder she had recognized it, and had rooted herself here?

Nathan nodded. "Allie," he repeated to Elizabeth's observation. "So I stayed. And I don't regret it, Elizabeth. I don't regret staying," he said, his words meaningful, and igniting a small flame of hope in Elizabeth's heart.

"I'm glad you did Nathan. I"m glad you stayed," she told him. "And I'm glad we're friends," Elizabeth spoke the simple words.

"I am too," Nathan said.

Satisfied for now, Elizabeth drew a breath and nodded. If Nathan was in Hope Valley now it wasn't just because of his promise to Jack. There was more to it now. And Elizabeth was satisfied with that. For now.

Elizabeth turned to go, then remembered. She turned back. "Nathan, there's one more thing," she began as Nathan looked at her questioningly. Elizabeth swallowed. "I want you to know I intend to keep Jack's promise. Jack's promise...to you," she told him as Nathan grew still and silent at her words. "I promise that if anything ever happens to you," Elizabeth swallowed at the thought, then bravely continued on, "If anything happens to you, that I'll watch over Allie, look out for her, make sure she's okay."

"Thank you, Elizabeth. That means a lot to me," Nathan breathed the words in gratitude.

"And I promise...," Elizabeth continued, drawing herself straighter, taller, her chin just a little higher. What had Superintendent O'Reilly said to her that day? That she was part of the Mountie family. That she was one of them and always would be. "And I promise...I promise never to let her know," she echoed the promise once made between the two men, now between her and Nathan. She eyed Nathan directly, a quick imperceptible nod of her head, then said, "Mountie code."

Nathan eyed the woman before him, her stance just as fierce and proud as any Mountie he had known, the call of duty and honour just as strong in her eyes and he squared himself tall opposite her, both of them one kind, one to the other, and he repeated her words back to her, sealing the promise.

"Mountie code."


	21. Chapter 21

_._

_Author's note: Thank you so much for all the comments on my story so far. Encouraging comments are so very welcome and appreciated. I know I'm taking a long time to move the story along but I thought the chapter below was important to do. I promise the NEXT chapter after it will finally be "the one" we've all been waiting for, I just need to finish writing it up. Until then, hope you enjoy this one._

_._

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 21

Elizabeth was startled by the knock on the door of her rowhouse a week later. It was evening, not terribly late, but night time still and Little Jack was already in bed. Elizabeth went to the door and opened it, surprised to find Nathan on the other side, dressed in his Mountie uniform.

"Elizabeth, I'm so sorry to disturb you," he said apologetically.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked, slight alarm in her eyes, knowing Nathan wouldn't normally be at her door at such an hour.

"Nothing's wrong," Nathan was quick to allay any fears. "It's just I have to go out of town, suddenly, on a case and Mrs. Parks isn't able to watch Allie," he said, informing Elizabeth of his usual child care arrangements. "I'm so sorry to ask this of you, but could you watch Allie for me? I won't be gone more than a day or two," his voice was again apologetic. He really hated to bother her but time was short, he had to leave immediately, and he didn't like to leave Allie alone, not when he'd be gone overnight and for longer than just a day.

"Of course, Nathan, I'd be happy to," Elizabeth immediately agreed. If Nathan had some urgent Mountie duty it was no problem at all for Allie to stay with her. If fact, she'd welcome the company and she had that little spare bed in Little Jack's room that Allie could use.

Nathan dropped his voice low so only the two of them would hear. "I think you should know she's not happy about it," he said, angling slightly away for her to see past his shoulder, Elizabeth tilting her head for a better view. Allie was standing out front in the pathway to her house, next to Nathan's waiting horse. She had her satchel clutched to her stomach and was staring sullenly at the ground.

"So I see," Elizabeth drawled lightly.

"I'm really sorry about this," Nathan apologized again. Not only to leave her with a child but a sullen one at that. "I wish I could stay longer," he said. "But I have to leave now and ride through the night to get there," he said, explaining in a few more sentences his destination. "I really must go," he said, settling his hat on his head.

"Nathan, wait," Elizabeth said as he turned away. Leaving the door open, Elizabeth quickly went to her kitchen, grabbing a fresh loaf of bread and cutting two thick slices. Then she placed some slabs of roast beef between the pieces, quickly wrapping the offering in a fold of cloth and tying it closed. She brought it back to Nathan, no more than thirty seconds later. "In case you get hungry," she told him as she met his eyes, kind consideration in hers. He would get hungry if he was riding all night.

"Thank you, Elizabeth," Nathan said appreciatively as he took the offering, then turned and bounded down the stairs. His lifted the flap on his horse's saddlebag and slid the sandwich inside. "Allie, you mind Mrs. Thornton, you hear?" he admonished the instruction as Allie nodded, still sullen. Nathan sighed, then approached her to pull her in for a rough hug. "I won't be gone long, a day or two, okay?" he asked, lifting her chin to meet her eyes.

Allie nodded again, and Nathan delivered a final squeeze before releasing her and quickly mounting his horse. "Thank you again, Elizabeth," he said, then pulled his horses reigns to the side and quickly was gone.

"Allie, won't you come inside," Elizabeth invited the child, beckoning her in from the night air.

Allie sighed, then moved to ascend the stairs, her feet dragging as she entered Mrs. Thornton's house. It's not that she didn't like Mrs. Thornton. Of course she did. Next to Uncle Nathan, she liked Mrs. Thornton better than anybody in the world. It was this she didn't like. The sudden upheaval, the scrambled childcare when Uncle Nathan had to leave town. This was not the first time something like this had happened and Allie had been fostered onto some obliging neighbour or sitter, feeling like she was an imposition, an inconvenience. Other kids she knew didn't have to do this. Leave home in the dark to be watched by someone else while their parent went away. She knew Uncle Nathan was doing his best for her, juggling his job with raising her, but that didn't mean she liked this.

"Allie, why don't you put your satchel down here," Elizabeth was gesturing towards a chair as the child reluctantly obeyed. "Have you had your dinner?" she asked. She could fix Allie something to eat if she was hungry.

But Allie was nodding. She'd eaten already. "Well, then, um..."Elizabeth looked around, wondering what to offer the child to keep her occupied. It was still a bit too early to send her to bed. Then she remembered. She had a large puzzle she was planning to work on. It was something she occasionally did in the evenings when she didn't feel like writing. Something to do with her hands and her mind, to keep her busy in those quiet hours after Little Jack was asleep but it was too early for her to retire. Elizabeth went to her bookcase to hunt for the puzzle.

"I'm not a kid anymore you know," Allie said suddenly to Elizabeth's back. Elizabeth swung around to look at her, puzzle in hand. "I'm not a little kid anymore," Allie repeated. "I can stay home by myself. I don't need a sitter," she said, objecting to being dropped off at Mrs. Thornton's like this.

Elizabeth brought the puzzle to the table and lifted the lid, her mind working on what Allie had said. Understanding that Allie didn't want to be here, to be treated like a child, to be foisted off at night to someone else's home, Elizabeth stared down at the puzzle pieces, then slowly began to nod. "You're right, Allie," she agreed, as Allie's eyes went wide that Mrs. Thornton was agreeing with her. "You're much too old for a sitter. Now where is your satchel?" Elizabeth glanced around. "Would you like me to walk you home or are you okay going yourself?" she asked.

Allie blinked. "You mean you're going to let me go? Let me go back home?" she asked incredulous.

Elizabeth nodded. "I think you're old enough and I'm just a few houses away if you need anything. And I know your uncle just sent you here because of me anyway, and I don't want to keep you just for that," Elizabeth sighed with mock stoic resignation.

"What do you mean?" Allie asked, confused. What did Mrs. Thornton mean her uncle had sent her here for her?

Elizabeth sighed again. "Your uncle knows I don't like being here alone, at night. It was kind of him to think to send you to me, but it's really not necessary. I'll be fine," she said, affecting an air of bravery as she reached for Allie's satchel and handed it into Allie's stunned hands. "Now you go on, before it gets any colder," she said, a hand to Allie's shoulder.

"Wait," Allie said, trying to work this out, as she searched Elizabeth's face. "You mean, if I stay I'd be helping _you_," she wondered aloud.

Elizabeth gave a slight nod. Another sigh. "But I don't want to keep you," Elizabeth said, attempting to turn Allie towards the door.

"Wait," Allie said again, slightly resisting Elizabeth's attempts to usher her towards the door. This was different. This made things different, if Mrs. Thornton needed her here and not the other way around. Allie mulled the possibility. "Maybe...maybe I could stay," she offered, her eyes falling to the puzzle on the table. "You probably need help with that too," she tipped her head in the puzzle's direction.

"It's 500 pieces. Do you think we can do it?" Elizabeth asked, something of a challenge in her eyes.

Allie's eyes had lit up. "Sure we can!" she enthused. "I'm good at puzzles!" she informed Elizabeth proudly.

"Oh Allie, you have no idea how relieved I am to hear that," Elizabeth smiled. And it wasn't just Allie's proficiency with puzzles she was relieved to hear either, as Allie set her satchel down and the two each pulled out a chair from the table, sat down and got to work.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was later than night, when she'd sent Allie to bed, to the extra bed in Little Jack's room, and had given her a candle to illuminate her way so that she wouldn't wake her sleeping son, that Elizabeth rapped lightly on the door. She'd given Allie enough time to get changed and ready for bed, and she thought to check on her before she went to sleep.

Pushing the door open to peer inside, she spotted Allie dressed in her night shift standing in front of the mirror atop a dresser, the room darkened except for the glow of a single candle. Allie looked towards Elizabeth at her entrance, a panicked look in her eyes.

"What is it, Allie? What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked on a whisper, her son asleep not far away.

"I forgot my brush," Allie said on a whimper, almost close to tears. How she hated these rushed departures, scrambling to fit her overnight belongings into her satchel before a hurried departure. Forgetting her hair brush might have seemed a small inconvenience but to Allie it was upsetting, representative of what she so disliked about these arrangements.

"It's alright, Allie," Elizabeth said in a soothing voice. "You can borrow mine. I'll go get it," she said.

Returning to the room a moment later, brush in hand, Elizabeth hesitated, "Allie, would you...would you like me to brush your hair?" she asked the child.

At Allie's nod, Elizabeth ushered her over to the bed. Allie sat down and Elizabeth sat beside her. Allie turned her body, raising one knee into a V so that her back was to Elizabeth. Elizabeth twisted from her waist and raised the brush to Allie's head, beginning a long smooth stroke through Allie's hair at the back of her head.

"You have very pretty hair, Allie," Elizabeth complimented, continuing to brush, her voice still a whisper in deference to her sleeping son. A small smile touched Allie's lips at the compliment, unseen by Elizabeth. And Allie did have pretty hair, Elizabeth thought, smooth and straight and thick, the brush gliding easily through it. Not like hers had been when she was younger. Elizabeth's hair had a slight curl to it, it had been much worse when she was younger and it tangled easier. "When my mother used to brush my hair, it never went this well," she said conversationally. "I always had so many tangles and brushing was so painful!" she said ruefully.

Another small unseen smile came to Allie's lips, and then she grew thoughtful. Thoughtful and introspective, blinking with some unspoken realization, with a sudden awareness.

A few more strokes and Elizabeth set the brush beside her. "Should I braid it?" she asked, then felt Allie's nod, she reached to pull her hair back before separating its length into three thick strands and she began the braid. The task soon complete she patted Allie's shoulder. "Okay, into bed now," she said, moving to stand as Allie did the same. Elizabeth pulled back the covers before Allie climbed between them and Elizabeth covered her. "Goodnight, Allie," she whispered down to the child with a soft smile.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Thornton," Allie echoed, before Elizabeth reached for the brush and the candle, balancing both in one hand and turned from the from the room, Allie's eyes watching her as she departed, as she closed the door behind her. Allie let out a soft sigh, then turned on her pillow and tried to sleep.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was several hours later, after Elizabeth had been long asleep, that she awoke to the noise. She held her breath and listened, not sure what had awoken her, wondering if it was her son, but then she heard it again, a noise from downstairs. Elizabeth got out of bed and lit a candle, and in her night dress, her hair braided over one shoulder, she proceeded down the stairs, the candle in one hand, drawing up her gown with the fisted hand of the other.

"Allie! What are you doing up?" she asked from the bottom of the stairs, spotting the child sitting at the table in the dark, the incomplete puzzle they'd been working on before her. Elizabeth drew nearer. "Are you hungry, Allie?" Elizabeth asked, wondering what the child was doing up.

Allie shook her head, merely staring straight ahead. Elizabeth glanced around, puzzled by Allie's behaviour. "Allie?" she said again, coming closer still and setting the candle on the table. "Allie, is something wrong?" she asked.

"I can't sleep," Allie admitted with a swallow.

"You can't sleep?" Elizabeth repeated, wondering at the unusual childhood complaint. "Oh, I know," she said with sudden understanding. "It's the bed. You can't sleep in a strange bed," she offered her opinion. But Allie was shaking her head.

"I can sleep anywhere," she informed Elizabeth, slight pride in her voice at the accomplishment.

"Then what is it?" Elizabeth asked, drawing up a chair alongside Allie before sitting down.

"I can't sleep...," Allie said again. "I can't sleep when Uncle Nathan's...away," she said carefully with hesitation.

"You can't sleep when Uncle Nathan is away," Elizabeth said, repeating Allie's words back to her, her brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Because...because you're worried about him," she said, a statement, not a question, wondering why she hadn't realized it sooner. Allie knew her uncle had a dangerous job, one that he was off now fulfilling. Of course she would be worried. At Allie's slight nod, Elizabeth asked gently, "Allie, have you told your uncle you worry when he's away?"

Allie shook her head. "No, he'd just worry if he knew I was worried," she stated, displaying a measure of wisdom beyond her years.

Elizabeth took a deep breath, suddenly seeing Allie with new eyes. For a while, and not just tonight, Allie had been asserting that she was no longer a child, and for the first time Elizabeth saw that it was so. It wasn't just her added height, or the recent appearance of gangling arms and legs, it was more than that. Allie was achieving an awareness of the world and of life that indicated she was growing up.

"Allie, everything is going to be okay," Elizabeth told her reassuringly.

"Yeah, everybody always says that," Allie said wryly. It was what grownups were always saying to kids. But she knew differently. She knew that that wasn't always true.

Elizabeth studied Allie, wondering what to say to comfort her, to reassure her, and then suddenly a strange realization came to Elizabeth. That in all of Hope Valley, only she and Allie had had this worry. This worry between them. That theirs was a kinship, a reflection from the same mirror. Oh, there had been other tragedies in Hope Valley, other losses, but only her and Allie shared this one. For they both loved and had loved a man with a dangerous job, a Mountie, and they had both carried the worry of loss with them. She knew she had lost Jack, but even in her loss she had so much behind her. A supportive family back east, her friends in Hope Valley, Jack had even left her with a child to raise. But if Allie lost her uncle, she would have nothing and no one. Suddenly, Elizabeth felt shame, shame that her own displays of bravery were minuscule alongside the girl's. Allie's shoulders were so much smaller, yet she'd borne so much more. And without the choice of it that Elizabeth had. Elizabeth exhaled, searching for the words, the right words to say. Slowly, softly, she began.

"Allie, I can't tell you that everything is going to be alright," she admitted the truth, no empty promises from her. "But I can tell you that I think it will be, that I hope it will be," she continued. "And I know that loving a man who is a Mountie is hard. Sometimes...sometimes we don't want to," she said and Allie nodded agreement, understanding just what Mrs. Thornton meant. "But that's who they are. And if we love them it's because of it, not in spite of it," Elizabeth continued. "Because that's who they are," she repeated. "But it's hard, because they're there and you're here and you can't help them. You can only wait, and hope and pray," she said. "Allie, I want you to know you don't have to carry your worry alone," she said, as Allie looked over to her. "You can give me your worry, Allie. You can give it to me, because I understand," Elizabeth said, understanding all to well Allie's worries, her fears. "And you can give your worry to God, Allie. Because He understands too," she said the simple words, then remembered. Remembered how Allie had wanted to say grace that day at her house, that maybe now words like that would be a comfort to her. "Allie, would you like to ask God to protect Uncle Nathan? Would you like to do that with me now?" she asked.

At Allie's nod, Elizabeth said, "Okay," then reached for Allie's hands. She pressed them palms together, then placed hers around Allie's, sandwiching them between her own. She leaned close to Allie, her head brushed close to the girl's and dropped her head slightly as Allie did the same. Slowly Elizabeth began the prayer. "Dear Heavenly Father, please watch over Uncle Nathan," she recited, using that name, because this was Allie's prayer. "Please guide his steps safely and surely in his service to You and to his country. Please protect him from harm and bring him home safely to Hope Valley and to those that love him. Amen," she ended the prayer, hearing Allie's softly echoed Amen. Elizabeth cranked her neck, tilting her head to the side, trying to read Allie's face. "Was that okay, Allie?" she asked softly, wondering if her words had brought any comfort, any reassurance.

Suddenly, Allie nodded quickly then flung herself at Elizabeth in a fierce hug as Elizabeth wound her arms around Allie's back to hug her in return, breathing in relief. Elizabeth had a sudden realization. She had used her words, her gift of words, to soothe Allie, to soothe a hurting heart. But Elizabeth realized there was another one. Another heart she had soothed.

Her own.


	22. Chapter 22

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 22

It was a week later that Nathan Grant stood at the Queen of Hearts bar nursing a beer. He was dressed in a beige shirt, it's sleeves rolled almost to his elbows, its light neutal colour interrupted by the dark colour of his suspenders, clipped over dark trousers. He'd just come in for a cool drink after spending the day building yet another railing on one of the rowhouses on the path where he lived. He admitted Elizabeth had planted the idea in his head, perhaps only jokingly, but now he had taken it upon himself to implement that plan, with each homeowner's permission of course.

He'd gotten back from his out of town duty safely the week before, a couple of no-gooders locked up in the jail cell in Brookfield and was relieved to find Allie in better humour than he'd left her. He'd known it was due to Elizabeth and her influence. She certainly had a way with children and had rescued him and Allie more than once from one trouble or another.

But now, as Nathan nursed his beer, he watched a scene from the corner of his eye, his eyes and mood darkening. For he spotted Lucas Bouchard playing darts with a woman. That in itself was innocent enough. But Nathan saw Lucas reach his arm around the woman, pretending to help her better direct her dart and the pair was laughing and playful together. Nathan's jaw began to work in disapproval.

When Lucas came to the bar a few moments later to obtain some cool beverages for the pair, Nathan took the opportunity to chastise under his breath. "Lucas, what are you doing?" he asked.

Lucas Bouchard looked towards Nathan, his eyes narrowing on him as he sensed his disapproval. "What am I doing where?" he challenged.

"There," Nathan replied, inclining his head lightly towards Fiona Miller, Lucas' dart-playing partner. "This is a small town, Lucas. If it got back to Elizabeth that you were...were...well, it would hurt her feelings," Nathan said. Nathan was unsure if Elizabeth had feelings for Lucas or not, but he knew this openly flirtatious behaviour with another woman could be hurtful.

"It would hurt Elizabeth's feeling if I play darts with my girl?" Lucas asked dryly, becoming amused now.

"Your girl?" Nathan asked, confused now. "I thought..." Nathan trailed off, wondering that Elizabeth and Lucas had always seemed so friendly, so close.

"Yes, my girl," Lucas informed him. "And although it pains me to tell you this and relieve your mind in any way, Elizabeth and I are just friends. Besides," Lucas continued, "Elizabeth knows all about Fiona. Now if' you'll excuse me," Lucas said, shaking his head and heading back to Fiona.

Nathan glared after Lucas a moment, then swallowed the rest of his beer. He threw some change on the counter then headed out the saloon doors.

He came upon Elizabeth a short while later, tending flowers at the side of her rowhouse. She wore a white blouse and a pink skirt, the pinkness of her skirt complementing the pink of her cheeks, brightened by the fresh afternoon air.

"Nathan!" Elizabeth said as he approached, a watering can in her hands as she sprinkled the thirsty flowers with moisture. Elizabeth looked at his face, realizing something was on his mind, she could read him so well. "Something wrong, Nathan?" she asked.

"No. Yes," he said, countering his own answer as Elizabeth eyed him with surprise. "I mean, I've just come from the saloon," he said by way of explanation, his voice full of sympathy.

"And...?" Elizabeth prompted, setting down her watering can to face him fully, wondering what this was about..

"And...I'm very sorry," he said. There was that sympathy again.

"Very sorry for what?" Elizabeth said. This was all so confounding.

"I'm very sorry that Lucas...and Fiona," he said the names suggestively, knowing now that she knew about the pair, wondering if perhaps Lucas had broken her heart, trifled with her feelings, played with her affections before turning his attention to Fiona.

"Lucas and Fiona?" Elizabeth prompted again, tilting her to look at him inquiringly.

Nathan took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Lucas hurt you, Elizabeth. I hope, I hope not too badly," he said.

"Nathan!" Elizabeth exclaimed. Was he really that dense? Didn't he know? "Nathan, Lucas did not hurt my feelings. He and I are only friends, and have _always_ been only friends," she told him, the implication clear.

Nathan nodded, relieved then she hadn't been hurt. He could not have borne it if she had. The thought of Elizabeth being hurt in any way caused hurt to his own heart. "Well, I'm glad to hear that, Elizabeth. And don't worry, if not Lucas, then they'll be someone else someday, someone like him."

"What?" Elizabeth said, stunned. What was Nathan saying? Didn't he know? Didn't he know that in her heart already lay a growing attachment?

"They'll be someone someday, Elizabeth," Nathan was saying. "Someone who'll bring lightness and laughter back into your life. It's what you deserve," Nathan told her.

Elizabeth swallowed. Was it up to her to tell him? Was she really supposed to do that? She thought, maybe, maybe she had to. "Nathan, I...I thought we..." she stumbled the words.

Suddenly, at her words, Nathan grew fierce. "Now you listen to me, Elizabeth. You find that lightness, you hear me? You find it, and grab onto it, and don't you ever let go!" the words were fierce, but pain lay behind them too. The pain of sacrifice. She couldn't, he thought. She couldn't love a Mountie, not again. She couldn't, and he wouldn't let her. He remembered too well that day of the funeral, the raw grief he'd seen, and he would not let her risk that pain again. He would not let her risk the pain, even if it meant his own pain increased exponentially. Because...because he loved her, he knew it now, perhaps had known it for a long time, but denial had become a way of life for him. Suddenly, unable to bear any more of it, Nathan turned on his heel and strode down the path in front the rowhouses, away, away from her.

Elizabeth stared after Nathan, dumbfounded. So that was it? Didn't he know? Hadn't she tried to show him in small ways, too numerous to list, that she cared? And now he was telling her to find someone else? Her heart grew heavy in her chest at the rejection, but then a flicker of frustration there grew and turned to something akin to anger.

Suddenly, Elizabeth picked up her skirts and ran after Nathan's retreating figure. Full throttle she ploughed into him, using her hands to push him forward. Stunned at the contact, Nathan suddenly whirled around, his eyes wide in shock as he turned to look at her, the pair squared off against each other as they stood face-to-face..

"Who are you to tell me who to care for? Who to love?" Elizabeth shouted the questions at him accusingly, hurt and anger in her words and eyes. "Who are you to tell me what lays inside my own heart?" she yelled, a hand fisted to her chest. "Have you ever even bothered to ask me?" she yelled. Suddenly in defeat, she waved her hands at him, waving him away. "Oh, just go! Just leave!" she shouted, her voice becoming bitter. "You were always going to leave anyway," she said, her voice becoming tremulous as she turned quickly from him, unable to stem the emotions roiling inside her, as she headed back to her house.

Nathan watched stunned as Elizabeth turned from him. It was not so much her words that affected him, but her face, her expression. For just as she turned, he saw it there, or thought he did. Desperate to know, he took three lengthy strides and caught up to her, pulling on an arm to turn her round to face him. So it was there! he thought. He hadn't imagined it. What he'd seen before she turned from him.

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Why are you crying?" he exclaimed. So the tears were real, he had not imagined them. Why was she crying? Why her tears? They couldn't be...they couldn't be for him! He thought it was only his heart he was denying...not hers! Not hers! At Elizabeth's continuing sobs, Nathan begged, "Please don't cry! Please don't cry, Elizabeth! I can't bear to see you cry!" and suddenly he pulled her into his arms, and lowered his face to hers, his lips descending on hers as he tried to still her sobs. Words were not his strength, and in his desperation to tell her what lay inside his own heart, he let the truth of those words be conveyed in another way, in this way.

Feeling Nathan's lips on hers, Elizabeth felt herself melt into the kiss, into him, and she brought her arms up under his, raising them up near his shoulders at his back as her hands clenched bunches of the fabric of his shirt. She could taste it now, the feelings he had suppressed, they were akin to her own. He was not unaffected, his kiss belying the words he'd spoken a moment ago. Feeling her respond to the kiss, Nathan drew her closer, tighter, pressing her into him as he snaked his arms across her back, one above the other and drank in her sweetness.

Finally, they broke apart after a moment, each taking a step back, their eyes locked on each other as their heavy breaths rose and fell in unison and they merely regarded each other in silence.

"You kissed me," Elizabeth finally said, stating the obvious.

"I did," replied Nathan, Master of the Two Word Sentence. He was surprised himself that he had done it.

"Out here," Elizabeth was saying. "In the middle of the street. For anyone to see," she said, eyeing him intently.

"I did," Nathan repeated, cementing his title. A short pause, hope sprung in his heart, then he added, "So what happens now?"

Elizabeth drew herself taller, raising her chin a smidgen, her eyes fixed on his, something of a gleam in their depth. "That, Nathan Grant," she informed him, punctuating her words rhythmically, "is entirely up to you!" Suddenly, Elizabeth spun on a heel, beginning a determined march back to her rowhouse.

Nathan watched her with confusion. What had just happened here? He placed a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing it absently as he spun around, not sure if he was coming or going. He'd only meant to stop her tears, to stop the look he'd seen when she first turned away from him. But he'd seen another look now. Another look when she'd turned. And it was...well, it was the opposite of tears. It was a gleam, a glint, a smile almost...as if she'd just given him permission to...to...yes, that's what she had done! Nathan shook his head, understanding that Elizabeth had made up her own mind about it, that whatever sacrifice he'd been willing to make was negated by her own heart. And in all the confusion still roiling inside him, only one thought was clear to Nathan now.

He was now courting Elizabeth Thornton.


	23. Chapter 23

_Author's Note: Whew! Well, I finally got E/N to the place I wanted them, feels like it was a lot of work to get to this point! LOL Anyway, I still have lots to put them through, lots of trials and tribulations, but at least now they'll do it together. And I hope there'll be some fun times in between the hardships. So to start off, this chapter is just kind of settling into things, not much happens, just a bit of a breather after all that's happened so far._

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 23

"So tell me everything!" Rosemary Coulter was urging her friend Elizabeth Thornton as they sat in her rowhouse sipping tea.

"Rosemary!" Elizabeth objected. Did Rosemary Coulter always have to know _everything_? Elizabeth sighed. She guessed she did. Another sigh, this one of resignation. "We're courting," she informed her friend of the change of status between her and Nathan. "He and Allie have been coming to dinner more often, but that's about all that's really different," Elizabeth admitted. There had been no further displays of affection since that day in front the rowhouses and Elizabeth was fine with it. She was a widow and Nathan was a gentleman. He, and they, would proceed slowly with this courtship.

"That's all that's different?" Rosemary repeated skeptically. She had watched that kiss from outside her house from her front window that day a few weeks ago, and so had a number of others, and word had quickly spread through Hope Valley that Elizabeth Thornton and Nathan Grant were now involved.

"We're going slow," Elizabeth affirmed.

"Slow or glacial?" Rosemary asked derisively, a slight dig at the town Mountie and his slow, methodical ways, quite at odds to Rosemary and her own boisterous dive head first attitude.

"Rosemary!" Elizabeth exclaimed lightly. "It's Nathan's way, and it...he...suits me," Elizabeth stumbled a bit at the words.

Now it was Rosemary's turn to sigh. "Yes, I can see that he suits you," she admitted. And he did, this quiet Mountie. She had not seen Elizabeth so happy, so peaceful...not since...well, not in a long time. "Well, I have to say he doesn't talk much, does he?" she observed.

"No," Elizabeth agreed. "And sometimes I have to laugh at God's humour," she said, a smile tugging at her mouth, her eyes twinkling.

"Elizabeth! What do you mean?" Rosemary asked.

"God," she said. "To give me Nathan who is so quiet and reserved...and then you, who is so...not," Elizabeth explaining the diametrically opposed personalities of the two closest people in her life. "Sometimes, I get whiplash alternating between the two of you," Elizabeth smiled the observation, biting her lip to contain herself.

"Elizabeth!" Rosemary began in mock outrage, then realized, well, Elizabeth had a point. "So," she asked gleefully, "is he a good kisser?"

"Rosemary!" Elizabeth exclaimed then groaned inwardly at her friend's annoyingly personal question as she shook her head. And this was just the beginning, she knew. Just the beginning.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Dinner's at Mrs. Thornton's tonight, Allie," Nathan announced casually to his niece as he turned from the filing cabinet in his office. Allie had stopped by after school, asking to visit her friend's house and Nathan had given his permission, but reminding her of dinner at Mrs. Thornton's.

"Okay!" Allie said cheerfully, turning to go. She would visit her friend's, then show up at Mrs. Thornton's at dinner time, a not unusual occurrence of late.

As Nathan turned from the cabinet, a sheaf of papers in his hand, he eyed his niece thoughtfully. She must be wondering, he thought. Wondering why they went so often for dinner at Mrs. Thornton's lately. Maybe she'd even heard something around town. Since they'd made such a public display those few weeks ago, Nathan knew the town was quickly becoming aware of how things stood between him and Elizabeth. And maybe it was time to let Allie in on it too.

"Um, Allie," he called her back just as she was about to bound out the door. As Allie turned inquiring eyes back to him, Nathan set his papers on his desk and gestured to a nearby chair. "Allie, sit down for just a minute. I want to talk to you about something," he said.

"Uh oh, did I do something?" she asked, eyes wide as she went to comply with the directive to sit in the nearby chair.

"No, no," her uncle reassured her. "It's just um...," he expelled his breath, not sure of the words. As Allie sat in the chair in front of his desk, Nathan moved just slightly in front and to the side of her, sitting on the edge of his desk. "Allie, I was wondering if you were wondering..." yikes, he was already starting things off in a confusing fashion, but he carried on, "I was wondering if you were wondering why we're over at Mrs. Thornton's so much lately?" he asked.

Allie turned her head to peer at her uncle out of the corner of her eyes. "You mean, do I know you're sweet on her?" she asked, putting it in the parlance of youth.

"Allie!" Nathan exclaimed. So she had maybe heard something around town. Well, he guessed she did comprehend the gist of the way things were. Nathan rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed now. "Mrs. Thornton and I are courting, Allie. Do you know what that means?" he asked.

Allie was nodding. "You mean you might get married some day?" she asked.

"Well, it means we might. But for now we're just getting to know each other better," he said. Whew, okay that sounded a little more coherent than before.

Allie was looking at him, her mouth twisting as she tried to stifle a smirk. "Well, it sure took you long enough, Uncle Nathan!" she said finally. "I was wondering if you'd ever get around to it!" she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Allie!" Nathan laughed. He didn't know why he was surprised with her anymore. It was like she was 12 going on 17. "Anyway, I just wanted to ask if you're okay with it. With everything. Seeing that she's your teacher. It's not gonna be kinda weird for you, is it?" he asked worriedly.

"Nah," said Allie. "I like Mrs. Thornton. I like her a lot," she admitted, and Nathan nodded his head. He knew that. Allie let out a long low breath. "She's really nice to me. And we talk about stuff," Allie admitted.

"What stuff?" Nathan asked with a smile.

Allie shrugged. "You know, stuff. Girl stuff," she said, letting her uncle know it was just between the two of them. Nathan nodded in understanding, his smile more bittersweet now. He was glad Allie had a woman to talk to, to confide in. "And sometimes...sometimes she fusses over me," Allie continued, her tone indicating she didn't mind the fussing at all, her mouth twisting and flexing, hesitating over the mention. Like the night Mrs. Thornton had brushed her hair and put her to bed. That had felt kinda nice. "Sometimes...," Allie trailed off, growing thoughtful, her eyes taking on a faraway look.

"Sometimes what, Allie?" her uncle prompted.

Allie shrugged again, trying to affect nonchalance, as she began to scratch the armrest of her chair with the nail of her thumb, her eyes dropping to fix on the activity. "Sometimes...I wonder if that's what having a Mom is like," she confessed, to the small stab of pain that went through Nathan's heart, as he froze at her words.

"Is that what it feels like, Allie?" he asked, softly, gently. Allie had been so young when her mother passed away and it pained him that she had had to grow up without a mother's love. It was, or should be, the birthright of every child.

Allie mulled the question. "I guess so. I think so," she said, shrugging a little, keeping her eyes down as she continued to scratch the armrest, her mouth twisting as she thought it over. Maybe it was, she thought. Maybe that's what it felt like to have a mother, talking to you, fussing over you. "Anyway, I'm glad I got to know what that was like," she finally said, as the arrow of pain pierced deeper into Nathan's heart. That Allie should be grateful, grateful for so small a taste of motherly love. Suddenly Allie looked over and spotted Emily and Anna outside the Mountie office window. "Hey! They're gonna go without me! I gotta go catch up," she announced, flying out of her chair. "See you later, Uncle Nathan!" she yelled over her shoulder as she raced out the door, leaving the door open behind her.

Nathan stood and followed her to the door, one hand holding it open as he watched his niece race down the street, a thoughtful look on his face. He took a deep breath, then expelled it slowly, waiting a moment before he closed the door.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After stopping at home to change out of his Mountie uniform, Nathan knocked on Elizabeth's front door and entered after she opened it to him. "Good evening, Elizabeth," he said.

"Good evening, Nathan," Elizabeth smiled, running her hands down her apron. "I hope you're hungry!" she teased.

Nathan inhaled the enticing aroma of Elizabeth's cooking. "If I wasn't before I am now," he told her. "By the way, Allie will be along soon, she's just over at Emily's house," he said to Elizabeth's nod. "And um...I um...I told her about us," he confessed, looking to Elizabeth's eyes for her reaction, hoping it was alright he had done that.

But Elizabeth was nodding. Almost the whole town knew about them by now. It was only right that Allie did too. "That's fine, Nathan," she reassured him with a smile. "Is she...is she okay with it?" she asked tentatively.

Nathan let out a puff of air, an 'are you kidding' kind of sound. "She likes you, Elizabeth," he said instead.

"And I like her," Elizabeth smiled. "Now come on in and sit down," she invited.

It was a short time later, as Elizabeth was busy in the kitchen, that Nathan noticed it. The missing photograph. He got up and went over to the sideboard. "Didn't there used to be a photograph of Jack here?" he asked, sure that there had been, he remembered seeing it many times.

Elizabeth turned from the kitchen, taking a few steps toward him, running her hands down her apron. "I um...I, um, put it away," she said, looking at him with uncertainty, glancing up and down from his eyes, having difficulty holding his gaze. At Nathan's inquiring and puzzled look, Elizabeth struggled to explain, "I thought...maybe it was time," she said, wondering if it was awkward now to have photos of Jack around the house, now that she was courting Nathan. What was the normal procedure for something like this? Was there a rulebook to consult? She didn't know, she was just trying to figure things out as she went along.

Nathan was trying to take in her words. If they were going to do this, they had to have this worked out. "Elizabeth, you don't have to..." he trailed off, not knowing how to word it. "Surely you will be telling Little Jack about his father as he grows up?" he said instead, trying to convey that evidence of her marriage to Jack wasn't something she needed to or should cover up. "Elizabeth?" he said her name, at how uncomfortable Elizabeth still looked. Knowing he had to let her know, let her know that it was okay, that he was okay with it, he said, his voice a calm certainty, "Elizabeth, I'll not be jealous of your memories," he told her, strong meaning behind the simple words.

Suddenly, Elizabeth put a hand to mouth, covering the small whimper that had escaped in her relief and gratitude. Gratitude that she didn't have to choose between them. The two men that she loved. That Nathan understood there was room enough in her heart for both of them. Suddenly, she moved quickly to Nathan and threw her arms around his trunk in a hug, her head turned pressed sideways to his chest. "Thank you, Nathan," she said quietly, in a small squeaky voice.

Nathan was surprised by her hug, one not unlike Allie sometimes gave him, only this girl was a mite bigger, he thought, a smile tugging at his mouth. He reached his arm around her back to squeeze the hug back to her reassuringly. "It's okay," he said, then loosened his hold. "Now, what's for supper? I'm hungry as a bear," he announced, lightening the mood.

Elizabeth laughed, then pulled away from him, wiping remnants of tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, a soft smile on her face.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was a short while later, after Allie arrived for dinner and was setting the table, with Nathan nearby leaning against the sideboard watching, that Allie knocked over a glass of water sitting on the table. Nathan immediately straightened, intending to assist, when Elizabeth beat him to it. Quickly pulling the dish towel from its place over her shoulder, she moved to Allie's side and began mopping up the water.

"I'm so sorry!" Allie wailed at her mistake, at messing up Mrs. Thornton's nice table.

"It's alright, Allie," Elizabeth said reassuringly, finishing up soaking up the water. Seeing Allie's distress, Elizabeth continued, "It's just water, no worries," she comforted, leaving the towel on the table to reach one hand to Allie's shoulder, the other over to rub small circles on Allie's back near the other shoulder. "Okay?" she looked to meet Allie's eyes, hers conveying reassurance, and giving Allie a slight nod and smile, waiting for Allie's answering acknowledgement. Allie looked back at Elizabeth and returned her nod and smile. Elizabeth breathed the word, "Good," at Allie's acceptance, then she reached one hand to tuck Allie's hair gently back from over her shoulders, first one side then the other, into a single rope down her back, smoothing the length and delivering two light taps in a final gesture of comfort, before she turned to retrieve the wet towel from the table and take it back to the kitchen and Allie turned to resume setting the table.

Nathan had watched the interaction between the two from his place leaning on the sideboard, something panging in his heart, something reminding him of his conversation with Allie that afternoon. He understood now. Understood why Allie felt the way she did about Elizabeth and what she had said. Because he'd just seen it, just witnessed it. And though he was happy for it, it still panged his heart a little bit, with the bittersweetness of it.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was as they were saying goodnight, and Elizabeth was seeing them out the door and down the steps of her rowhouse and into the night air, that Nathan turned to Allie. "You go on ahead, Allie. I want to speak to Mrs. Thornton a minute."

Allie, already out on the path towards home, turned towards her uncle as he stood at the bottom of Mrs. Thornton's stairs and Mrs. Thornton stood near him, her back resting against the stair railing. "You're not going to get all mushy, are you?" she teased audaciously, shaking her head and rolling her eyes playfully.

Nathan let out a mock suffering sigh. "Go on home, Allie. I"ll be along shortly," he told her over his shoulder, turning to look Elizabeth with something that was slight embarrassment, slight suffering.

But Elizabeth had bit her lip in amusement at Allie's question, lowering her head so Nathan wouldn't see as she struggled for composure, fighting not to laugh, especially when Allie turned and began to whistle her way home. Nathan saw Elizabeth's amusement anyway and began to sigh. "You know, this wouldn't be so hard if you weren't laughing at me," he remarked dryly.

"I'm sorry, Nathan," Elizabeth said, no longer able to hide her smile. "I'm just having trouble picturing you all 'mushy'," she laughed, now bringing a hand to her mouth to stifle herself.

"Yeah. Okay," Nathan said, his mouth flattening with something of a suffering grimace, then turned to go.

"Nathan, wait! Come on back! I promise I won't laugh!" Elizabeth called out to him, reaching an arm out after him. "Now what is it you want to tell me?" Elizabeth asked when he turned to once again draw near, composing herself enough not to smile but unable to remove the twinkle from her eye.

Nathan took a deep breath, another suffering sigh. Now he had two of them. Two of them ribbing him. Allie _and _Elizabeth. Somehow it didn't seem fair, like now they could gang up on him. Finally he said. "Elizabeth, I just...I just wanted to thank you...for what you did for Allie tonight." Sincerely rang in his voice, knowing that the taste of mothering Allie had been given was the sweetest gift a child could receive, and he was grateful to Elizabeth for delivering it.

"What I did for Allie? What did I do for Allie?" Elizabeth asked in confusion as she grew serious, her eyes wide at his strange statement.

"I...I don't think I can tell you right now," Nathan said, hesitating. "But I wanted to thank you just the same."

"Um, okay," Elizabeth said, confused but accepting.

"So, will I see you tomorrow?" Nathan asked.

The twinkle and smile were back in Elizabeth's eyes and on her face. "Don't you always see me tomorrow?" she countered dryly. Didn't she usually see Nathan on a daily basis, even before they were courting?

But Nathan was tilting his head at her, and squinting one eye. "Yeah, but things are different now," he said with meaning.

Elizabeth nodded, then peered shyly back at him. Yes, things were different now. "Yes, you'll see me tomorrow," she answered him reassuringly.

"Good," said Nathan, then he reached a hand out to lightly cup her upper arm, then slowly ran his hand down the length of her arm till it reached her hand. He delivered a light squeeze there, then said, "Goodnight, Elizabeth."

"Goodnight, Nathan," Elizabeth replied, She watched him turn and walk into the night, the light crunch the gravel underfoot. She sighed contentedly and turned, ascending the stairs into her house.


	24. Chapter 24

_Author's note: A bit more romance in this chapter, then I end things on a cliffhanger, trouble on the horizon. I'll probably need to take a short break from writing as I have other things in life to attend to, but I will definitely try to come back to the story soon._

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 24

Nathan sat on the stoop of Elizabeth's rowhouse a few nights later, one arm braced across a raised knee, a tin cup of coffee held inside the curve of his hand as he waited for Elizabeth to return from inside the house. She'd gone to fetch her shawl, the night air still warm but a bit breezy. They'd taken to sitting out here in the evenings after dinner, on nights Allie was over at a friend's. He and Elizabeth would sit out here on her front stoop, the front door left ajar so Elizabeth could hear Little Jack if he roused from his sleep upstairs. A single lantern behind them lit the night air, enough to see by, with the added glow of light from the windows.

"More coffee, Nathan?" Elizabeth asked upon her reappearance. Nathan looked up at her to shake his head no, as he watched her return to her spot next to him on the top stair of the stoop. As they resumed their quiet conversation, both were startled and turned simultaneously to look as the door to the house next to them suddenly opened.

"Lee Coulter, of course I want to sit outside!" Rosemary hissed at her husband. Why wouldn't she want to sit outside on their front stoop? Didn't they do it often? Okay, so this was the first time, but there was always a first time! Slapping Lee's hands aside as he tried to forestall her, Rosemary exited onto her own front porch, pretending a casual air. "What a lovely night!" she greeted the pair opposite her, as Elizabeth's and Nathan looked over to fix their eyes on her. "I think we'll just sit outside too," she said, gesturing with her eyes towards Lee that he'd better join her or else.

Lee Coulter sighed, knowing it was a lost cause and moved to join his wife as she sat down on their own front stoop. He made a small gesture towards Elizabeth and Nathan, a slight shrug of apology, as if this was all out of his control.

"Yes, a lovely night," Rosemary was opining, raising her face to the nigh sky and deeply breathing in the night air. "Why it feels like romance is in the air, don't you agree Lee?" she asked cheerfully.

"Yes, I guess," Lee replied on a sigh. Rosemary and her ways. Rosemary and her meddling and annoyingly interfering ways. He loved her, but sometimes she was a lot to take, like right now for example.

Elizabeth and Nathan had glanced at each other at Rosemary's mention of "romance", knowing they were now under a microscope, that their romance was the romance Rosemary was hinting at.

"Don't you think it's a romantic night?" she turned the question to the pair opposite as Lee suddenly said her name, drawing it out warningly, "Rosemary..."

"What?" Rosemary countered. "I'm just talking, just making conversation," she informed him, stifling his objection. "So...," she turned to Elizabeth and Nathan to ask brightly, "you two doing anything _romantic _lately?" she asked, fishing for details.

As Elizabeth and Nathan merely gaped at the question, Lee had had enough. Pulling Rosemary to her feet by her elbow, he told her firmly, "I think you've had enough night air."

Rosemary pouted but allowed herself to be pulled back inside her house. She wasn't getting anywhere anyway. Why, Elizabeth and Nathan hadn't even said one word to her the whole time! On a dissatisfied humpff she headed back inside her house with Lee and the door closed them.

Alone now, Elizabeth looked over at Nathan apologetically. "I'm...I"m sorry about that. Rosemary can get a little..." she trailed off, not knowing just quite how to explain her friend.

"No, no, it's fine," Nathan brushed off Elizabeth's apology, but his mind was working the word Mrs. Coulter had used. Romance. This was a courtship, after all, a romance, like she had said. But what had it been so far? Dinners at Elizabeth's, walks to church together, quiet evenings sitting on her front stoop? Was any of that romantic? he wondered. The questions niggled in Nathan's mind, because he wasn't sure of the way of it. Just what this courtship business entailed. He hadn't had much practice at it before now and it niggled in his mind that Elizabeth deserved more. Deserved more than cooking _him _dinner most every night.

But Mrs. Coulter seemed to understand it, know the ways of it. Already an idea was forming in Nathan's mind. Yes, he would, he thought to himself. Yes, he could. Because Elizabeth deserved more and he would see she got it.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Nathan Grant paced outside Rosemary Coulter's house the next morning, trying to work up the nerve for the somewhat unpleasant task ahead of him. But he was resolved, he would do it, he would at least try. Because Elizabeth deserved it. She deserved it and so much more.

Spotting the flash of red passing repeatedly in front of her window, Rosemary Coulter finally lost patience and pulled open her front door, calling to the figure outside. "You planning on wearing down the path in front of my house, or are you going to come in?" she asked bluntly.

Nathan, hat in hand, stopped pacing and turned to her. "Come in, if I may," he stated his preference.

Rosemary nodded to him, then turned to disappear back inside, leaving the door open for him to follow behind.

"Constable Grant. Nathan," Rosemary said as she turned to face him once he'd entered her house.

"Mrs. Coulter. Rosemary," Nathan echoed in kind. They had had this peculiar greeting between them for some time now. First the formal address, then the casual, as if they both knew they were not one or the other. Too acquainted for the formal address, but not yet friends enough for the casual.

"What can I do for you today?" Rosemary got right to the point, wondering why the constable had been pacing outside her door, something obviously on his mind.

Nathan scratched the back of his neck. "I wonder if I could ask your advice, your help," he said.

"You want my help?" Rosemary repeated with surprise. "With what?"

Nathan inhaled. "With Elizabeth," he answered. He would find out what he needed to know and do. For Elizabeth, he would do it.

"You want my help with Elizabeth? What do you mean?" Rosemary was a little slow to follow along.

"I'm asking your help with Elizabeth. For your advice on what to do. On how to court her. On what she might like," he finally got out.

Rosemary blinked at him. Then a sudden gleam of delight came to her eyes. Oh, she usually GAVE a lot of advice to people, but for them to actually ASK for it was rare and oh, how this delighted her. "Of course, Nathan! What do you want to know?" she asked.

"Well, I haven't had much practice with it, with courting," he said. "So I was just wondering what I should do that would be romantic. You know, romance, like you were talking about last night," he explained the impetus for his visit today.

"Oh, have you come to the right place!" Rosemary enthused, clasping her hands in front of her. "I have a million ideas!" she told him, pulling him over to the settee, about to give him an earful full of them.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Elizabeth walked down the path to Nathan's house a few nights later. He had told her would look after dinner that night, so even with her misgivings about a burnt offering, she had asked Laura to stay late to mind Little Jack. She dressed in one of her nicer outfits, simple but pretty and feminine and headed to his house at the appointed time.

Reassured that she didn't smell any smoke from his front porch, she rapped lightly on the door. She was surprised when it opened and Nathan stood on the other side, dressed in a dark suit over a white shirt, a stringed tie at his throat. He appeared to be alone, perhaps Allie was visiting a friend. At Elizabeth's arched brow, Nathan invited her in. "Elizabeth, come in."

Elizabeth entered Nathan's house then sucked in her breath. The room was filled with flowers, vases and vases on every surface filled with hothouse flowers. And on the table, an elegant cloth accented a handsome setting, with covered dishes of food awaiting the two diners. Two candles in the center flickered a warm light over the offering. Elizabeth turned startled eyes over towards Nathan. What was all this?

"Don't worry," he was quick to reassure her. "I didn't the cook the supper," he said, remembering his burnt offerings of the past.

"Then how?" Elizabeth asked. If he hadn't cooked it then...

"I had the cafe cater it," he informed her. "It was Mrs. Coulter's...Rosemary's...suggestion," he clarified. Yes, Rosemary had been quick to suggest the catering once he'd informed her of his proclivities in the kitchen. Or maybe she too smelt the frequent smoke spilling from his house.

Elizabeth lowered her head to peer up at him from under her lashes. "Rosemary? You had Rosemary help you with all this?" she asked, unbelieving.

Nathan nodded, then drew close to Elizabeth to take her hands in his. "Elizabeth...I...I haven't had much practice with this. With courting," he told her, letting her know letting her know she was his first serious relationship. What with his training, then Allie, then moving from place to place there had never been time nor opportunity to form personal attachments. His responsibilities had precluded it. Nathan swallowed. "And I want to do this right," he said. "I know things haven't been very romantic up till now. But if you'll just be patient with me, I promise to try to get better at it, with practice," he said.

"Nathan!" Elizabeth exclaimed softly, touched by his words and his efforts. Had he really done that? Had this tall, proud Mountie humbled himself to ask for help, to ask Rosemary Coulter of all people, to ask for help in courting her? And he had done it for her. Elizabeth was more pleased by that than by the fancy dinner that awaited her.

"And I hope to get more practised with a few other things as well," Nathan said.

"With what?" Elizabeth asked. What else did Nathan want to practise?

Slowly Nathan drew his eyes down from hers, to her lips, to linger there briefly, then lifted his eyes back to hers, the meaning of the slow deliberate voyage unmistakable.

Elizabeth sucked in her breath. Kissing? He wan't more practice with kissing? They had only kissed that one time, that time out in the street, but it appeared that too had been on Nathan's mind of late. And hers too, she thought, sudden colour flooding her face at the notion.

"Why are you doing that?" Nathan tilted his head, squinting an eye as he studied her.

"Doing what?" Elizabeth asked, rattled and discombobulated.

"Turning all pink like that. It's very pretty," he noted.

"I am not," Elizabeth denied her blush, denying what was obvious.

"Yes you are," Nathan reinforced the truth. "Wait," he said, as sudden understanding came to him. Was she blushing? "Wait. Did I do that?" he asked, wondering. Had he made her blush? Was that possible?

"You did not," Elizabeth denied again. But Nathan blinked, realizing the truth, his eyes widening in sudden delight, one corner of his mouth lifting into a crooked smile, his crooked smile. He didn't know why her reaction pleased him, but it did. He let out a small laugh.

"I'm going to have to remember this!" he told her, his meaning clear. Now that he knew he could make her blush, he would try again. He would try to make her blush in future.

"Don't you dare!" Elizabeth blustered the words with forced authority. "Now what's for dinner?' she demanded to know, changing the subject, pulling her hands out of his as she bit her lip, suppressing a smile, and turned towards the table.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Elizabeth sat on the front stoop of the schoolhouse a few days later, in pain. She'd dismissed her class moments earlier, then hobbled down the schoolhouse aisle before realizing she could not go any further. It was these new shoes, these new button up boots she'd recently purchased. They were all the fashion and Rosemary had encouraged her to try a pair, the slight heel giving Elizabeth added height. But, unused to the heels, she had gone over on one ankle almost immediately. It had hurt at the time, but nothing seem damaged, certainly nothing broken, and she had continued her day. But as the day progressed, the ankle had hurt more and more, until now she could barely walk on it.

Elizabeth pulled back her skirts as she sat to peer at her ankle. Already she could see swollen flesh spilling from overtop the boot-top. She thought to remove the shoe but even the attempt, even touching it, caused sharp pain to course through her. Well, what was she to do now? she wondered. She wasn't that far from the town, the schoolhouse within eyesight of the town buildings, but in her current state, it might have been miles away. And she out here all alone. She puffed her cheeks out with a sigh.

Elizabeth sat there about ten more minutes, then spotted a splash of red colour heading in her direction. She let out a sigh of relief. Nathan. Nathan was headed to the schoolhouse, either to meet Allie, who had already left, or to see her. Whatever the reason, Elizabeth was thankful for it now. She watched as he approached her.

"Elizabeth?" Nathan said her name in a question as he drew near, looking around him. What was Elizabeth doing just sitting here, all alone, no one else in sight.

"Nathan, would you please fetch my horse from the livery? Or maybe borrow Lee's automobile and come back here?" she asked without preamble.

Nathan's eyes grew wide at the strange request. "Whatever for?" he asked.

Knowing she was not going to get away without giving at some explanation, Elizabeth said, "I've hurt my ankle. I can't walk back to town."

"Hurt your ankle?" Nathan asked, taking a step closer, tilting his head to peer in the direction of her ankle, now well hidden from view by her skirts.

Elizabeth nodded, making no attempt to show him the evidence. "It's not broken. I've been walking all day on it. It's just very sore," she admitted. "So if you would just go get..." she started to say before Nathan interrupted her. He had come before her and stooped slightly, his arms outstretched.

"Come on," he said, gesturing the invite with his fingers, as Elizabeth's eyes widened at the implication.

"Nathan! Nathan, you can't _carry _me back to town!" she objected.

"Why not?" Nathan countered, studying her. "You don't look too heavy," he remarked, thinking that was her objection.

"Nathan, you can't carry me through town! What would people say?" she asked, horrified at the prospect.

Nathan pivoted to look back at the town, as if the answer was there. "I don't know. What would they say?" he countered.

"Nathan, they would think...they would think..." Elizabeth couldn't quite say it, thinking that the sight of such an intimacy would set tongues to wagging.

"Elizabeth, people already know we're...we're..." he trailed off. People already knew they were courting. Besides, this wasn't about that, it was about getting Elizabeth medical attention. "Elizabeth, this is silly. You can't mean for me to go all the way to get your horse or a car and then come all the way back," he reasoned. "I can have you over to the infirmary in a few minutes."

Elizabeth sighed, then let out a curt, "Fine." As Nathan reached his arms to her and she carefully placed her own around his neck, she added, "But if this goes wrong, I'm blaming you."

"So noted," Nathan drawled, hoisting Elizabeth into his arms easily, as he turned to begin the short trek back to town.

As Nathan strode through the streets of Hope Valley towards the infirmary, Elizabeth hid her face in his shoulder as curious eyes turned to them. Heavens, this was embarrassing, Elizabeth thought. She looked ahead for a second, wondering how close they were to the infirmary, when she spotted a figure in a burgundy coloured dress topped with long blonde hair approaching them and Elizabeth groaned aloud. Oh no! Not Rosemary! She quickly turned her face into Nathan's shoulder, the ludicrous hope that maybe Rosemary wouldn't notice her.

But Rosemary had, and came before the pair, stopping them in their path. "Elizabeth! Nathan!" Rosemary exclaimed gleefully, her hands clasped in front of her. "Why didn't you tell me you were eloping?" she teased with delight. "Don't tell me that dinner we planned the other night already did the trick?" she couldn't help herself, the humour of it all was too much to resist.

Elizabeth looked over to her friend, glaring with something like chagrin on her face. "Rosemary, I hurt my ankle!" she said, gesturing her whole hand towards her foot.

Rosemary affected a pout. "Oh, what a shame. Not as exciting as eloping to be sure. But let me get the door for you," she offered, a tidbit of help to make up for her teasing the moment before, as she sprang up the stairs outside the infirmary and opened the door.

Elizabeth sighed as Nathan strode up the stairs and took her inside.

It was a few minutes later that Dr. Carson Shepherd stood before Elizabeth as she sat on the examining table, a pair of scissors in his hand. "It has to come off, Elizabeth," he told her. "And there is no other way," he said, informing her the boot had to be cut off, her foot had swollen too much and this was the only way.

Elizabeth let out a disappointed sigh. She supposed it had to be done. It was just...this was her brand new shoes! "Alright, Carson, go ahead," she agreed, acquiescing to logic and reason.

A short time later, after determining there was no break, that it was in fact a severe sprain and her foot suitably bandaged, Elizabeth hopped down off the examination table onto her good foot, the other raised carefully off the ground. "I'm sorry I don't have crutches, Elizabeth," Carson apologized. He'd just recently given a pair to a man with a broken leg and hadn't had time to replace them. And Elizabeth's ankle would be swollen a few days at least, maybe a week.

"It's okay," Elizabeth was saying. "I can manage," she said optimistically. "Rosemary, can you ask Lee to bring his car over?" she asked her friend hopefully. Rosemary had stayed with her while Carson had examined her ankle.

"Oh, what a shame!" Rosemary exclaimed. "Lee is out of town and took the car," she explained regretfully, but funnily enough, without an ounce of regret in her voice. "I guess we'll just have to ask..." she trailed off, already heading to the door to open it as Elizabeth tried to call after her to stop her.

"Constable," Rosemary said to Nathan, who stood just outside the infirmary doors. He had waited outside while Elizabeth was being examined, waiting to see if his help might still be needed. As Nathan went to follow Rosemary inside, Elizabeth began protesting.

"No, I'm good," she said. "Rosemary, just give me your arm and I'm sure we can make it," she said.

But Rosemary's mouth was agape. "Elizabeth, you can't mean to _hop _all the way home!" she exclaimed.

Elizabeth proceeded to hop in Rosemary's direction, to prove her intent to do just that when she suddenly lost her balance and began to flail her arms wildly. Instantly, Nathan was at her side and scooped her into his arms.

"Nathan!" Elizabeth began to protest.

"Quiet, Elizabeth!" Nathan commanded, tired of her protests, her objection to him helping.

"What?!" Elizabeth exclaimed at being told to be quiet. Wasn't that her job? To tell her students to quiet down? She wasn't used to the word being used on her.

"I said quiet," Nathan repeated, his voice firm. Understanding that Nathan was at the limit of his patience, Elizabeth pursed her mouth, emitting another "Fine" under her breath.

Nathan turned towards the door, as Rosemary quickly went to open it wider for them and Elizabeth sighed at the repeat performance. The repeat performance they would be giving the town as Nathan carried her home this time.

"Wait," she commanded, and Nathan stopped a minute in the threshold of the door, standing crossways there. Elizabeth reached down and drew her skirt up just slightly, revealing her bandaged ankle.

"Whatever are you doing?" Nathan asked.

"Just letting people see I've hurt my ankle," she said, wanting it known, wanting it known why Nathan Grant was carrying her home. Nathan rolled his eyes and shook his head. Would be ever understand women? he wondered, as Elizabeth settled back in his arms and he proceeded out the door.

He was about halfway to Elizabeth's rowhouse when he became acutely aware of her. Elizabeth was squirming in his arms, trying to position herself more comfortably and it was becoming quite distracting. "Elizabeth," he finally said through gritted teeth. "Could you please stop wiggling around so much?" he asked.

"Sorry," Elizabeth apologized, not realizing her squirming was proving distracting to Nathan, not annoying, and Nathan let out a sigh that she was at least holding still now.

Inside Elizabeth's rowhouse Nathan set Elizabeth carefully on the settee, to Elizabeth's perfunctory "thank you", while Laura rushed to find a pillow to place on the small low table in front of her. After Elizabeth had eased her foot onto the pillow she beckoned to her small son, who toddled over to her.

Nathan headed to the door, then gestured for Laura's attention and the young woman met him there. "Laura, if Mrs. Thornton needs anything you can't manage, you come find me right away, okay? I'll either be at home or the Mountie office," he whispered the instructions.

"Okay," Laura agreed. She'd already agreed to stay the night to help Mrs. Thornton now that she'd injured her foot.

"Good," Nathan said, then headed out the door.

Back at the Mountie office, Nathan hung his hat on the peg by the door and loosened the button at his throat, shaking his head at what had transpired in the past thirty minutes. His mind wandered to one thought in particular more than the others. How sweet Elizabeth had felt in his arms. Soft and womanly, the faint smell of roses emanating from her. Was that her hair or just her? he wondered. He shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts as he approached his desk. He hadn't seen it at first, when he first came in, but he saw it now. A telegram, neatly placed on his desk in front of his chair. Nathan sat down and opened the telegram, reading the brief sentences and a dark expression came over his face.

Of course it would be now, he thought. Now, when he and Allie had settled into Hope Valley, to a place that finally felt like home. When he was happier now than he ever had been in his whole life. When he had Elizabeth in his life and everything was going so well. Of course it had to be now. Nathan studied the telegram. Ten days. He'd be here in ten days. The one man who could ruin everything.

His father.


	25. Chapter 25

_Author's Note: This chapter (and beyond) repeats a smiliar theme from my other E/N story. I mentioned I would be doing this (essentially re-imaginging my imaginging!) so I hope it all makes sense. Please let me know if you are still following along and are interested in me continuing...I find comments hugely motivating. Thank you!_

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 25

Nathan Grant had been watching the stagecoach arrivals for the past three days with trepidation. He knew his father would be arriving any day now, released early from his prison sentence. Released early for good behaviour. Nathan almost snorted at that. Good behaviour. The man didn't know the meaning of the words. Nathan didn't want him here, there was no pleasure in the prospect of seeing him. He would have tried to forestall his coming to Hope Valley, but he'd had no way to contact him. All he had was the brief telegram informing him of his upcoming arrival.

So as the day of his estimated appearance approached, Nathan had taken to meeting the stagecoach on its daily arrivals to Hope Valley. He never stood too close to the platform, rather he eyed the passengers as they got off from a distance, his arms crossed as he leaned against a pillar.

There was only a slight stiffening of his body that particular day, when he recognized a certain passenger as he departed the stagecoach. But otherwise Nathan Grant appeared unchanged in his stance. The passenger, an older man, tall but with greying hair, surveyed around him as he got off and almost immediately spotted the splash of red in the coat of the man standing across the way. Their eyes met and still Nathan did not move. He waited. He waited for his father to come to him.

"Won't you come over to greet your own father?" the man asked, when he drew up in front of Nathan and the pair eyed each other.

_Since when have you ever been a father to me?_ Nathan thought in his mind. Instead he delivered a curt nod to the older man. "What are you doing here?" he asked cryptically, wondering at his father's motives.

"What am I doing here? Can't I visit my own son? My own granddaughter?" the man asked. Nathan's eyes had darkened at the mention of Allie and his jaw clenched slightly. "It's been six years since we last saw each other," the man said.

"So it has," Nathan agreed. _ The best six years of my life_, Nathan thought, knowing his father was locked up in prison and prevented from harming anyone. "I think it's best for everyone if you just leave," Nathan said, not mincing words. He wasn't wanted here, not by him, nor anyone else in this town.

"Now why would I do that?" Silas Grant challenged his son. "Guess I'll go check into the hotel," he said, looking around, knowing now that his son would not be putting him up.

Nathan Grant let out a deep breath, then turned around and strode away.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Nathan, why didn't you tell me your father was coming?" Elizabeth eyed Nathan in disbelief as they stood in her rowhouse. He'd known for more than 10 days that his father was coming, that he'd been released from prison, and had only now told her, now that his father was actually here. She knew Nathan was a taciturn man, but this defied belief.

"I saw no point in telling you until he was actually here," Nathan explained, his eyes clouding over with his dark thoughts. Maybe he had hoped it was all a mistake and his father would not show up and he could have avoided telling her altogether.

"Nathan, I know you said your father had been in prison," Elizabeth prodded gently. "But what did he actually do?" she asked.

Nathan sighed. "He hurt a lot of people, Elizabeth. He cheated a lot of people out of their life savings. He committed fraud, he was a swindler on a grand scale. He never did a lick of work his whole life, not if he could swindle someone else out of their life's work. He's...he's not a good person, Elizabeth," Nathan said, the truthful words painful for him to say nonetheless.

"Nathan, that was a long time ago. He's been in prison for six years. Maybe he has changed?" she said hopefully, but Nathan knew otherwise. Knew the deep-seated evil that lay inside his father's being and that no amount of prison time would eradicate it. "Maybe being in Hope Valley will be good for him. Good for you both," Elizabeth said. "Maybe redemption is not as impossible as you think," she said.

Nathan's eyes darkened at her words. Redemption. How he would have welcomed that. But for redemption there had to be an admission of wrongs, the asking of forgiveness, attempts of restitution, none of which his father had ever done, nor, Nathan knew, ever would. "No, Elizabeth," Nathan said simply. As Elizabeth made to make another plea for hopefulness Nathan cut her off. "Elizabeth, stay out of this!" he said, more harshly than he wanted, then in his own frustration he turned and left the house, as Elizabeth watched his retreating back, worry on her face.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Well, I don't know if I like this!" Florence Blakeley admitted to a small group gathered in the mercantile a day or two later. "Our Mountie's father has been in jail. A criminal!" she said in a shocked voice. "Constable Grant is supposed to uphold the law and here his own father has been in jail!" she said, as other shocked citizens nodded in agreement.

It certainly did not look good, or inspire much confidence in their local lawman to know his own father had been in prison. And Silas Grant was making no secret of that fact. It was almost as if he was taking pleasure in letting people know of it, almost as if he took pleasure in besmirching his son's name by making sure it was connected to his own sullied one.

And it did not take Nathan long to realize it either. He could tell people were talking about him and his father behind his back. He watched them whisper to each other behind their hands whenever he walked past. And in a way he couldn't blame them. He knew his own reputation was affected by things his father had done, and the fact that he was a Mountie only intensified it. Because a Mountie was supposed to be honourable, above the law, of impeccable character and Nathan knew his father's misdeeds reflected on him, unfairly or not.

Oh, he knew not everyone thought that way. Bill had offered his support early on, as did Lee Coulter, and some of the other townsfolk too. They'd expressed their support for him, both as a Mountie and as a person going through a difficult family situation. And of course, there was Elizabeth. But her support opened up a whole new conundrum for Nathan, one he was mulling on more and more of late.

So far Nathan had managed to keep Allie away from her grandfather, and he intended to keep it that way. Although Allie knew he was in town and had questions, Nathan hoped the two would never meet. He hoped to protect her in this one way at least, although he knew that she must find the gossip and whispered talk difficult too.

But the longer this all went on, Nathan's thoughts turned more and more towards Elizabeth. He and Allie, well, they were born to it. It was their cross to bear by the unhappy hand of fate, by the unlucky draw of their birth. But it wasn't fair to Elizabeth. For she too was indirectly affected by all the gossip, by her association with him and Nathan decided it was time. Time to let her off the hook. Because she had a choice and he would give it to her.

That night, as they sat as usual in the evening on her front stoop, Nathan began the conversation. "Elizabeth, I think I should tell you more about my family," he said.

"Okay," replied Elizabeth, grateful the time had finally come. She knew Nathan had been troubled lately, troubled by his father's visit and maybe more than that. She hadn't wanted to press for answers but she was grateful now he was going to tell her more.

"First," Nathan began. "You know about my father being in prison and that he's not a good person. I say that because he wasn't a good father either," Nathan said, admitting the difficult truth. "My sister and I...we had a rough childhood because of him. He was very stern with us, very mean and controlling. My mother passed when I was only 8 years old. I think it was partly from the difficulties of living with my father. I think he drove her to an early grave," Nathan said, pausing to read Elizabeth's expression as he recounted his early years. Seeing her polite yet sympathetic countenance he continued on. "And my sister...well, I think in her desperation to escape our unhappy home, well, she fell for the first scoundrel who paid her any attention." Nathan took a deep breath, knowing the next part would be shocking. "She was only 17 when she got with Allie," he said, revealing the information carefully. "Elizabeth, my sister and Allie's father were...were never married," he said, eyeing her as he informed her of that fact, something still shocking to say in polite company. "I know this is all very shocking..." he trailed off.

But Elizabeth was shaking her head. "Nathan, I understand the frailties of human nature. I'm made of sterner stuff than you think," she said gently.

Nathan took a relieved breath, then continued. "When my sister got with child, Allie's father deserted her. That is why Allie is Allie Grant, and not her father's name...because...because..."

"Because you don't know his name," Elizabeth supplied with sudden understanding.

Nathan nodded. "I know that's not the story I've told you before about her father, but I said what I did to protect Allie," he said looking to Elizabeth for understanding about him not revealing all this before, as Elizabeth nodded encouragement to him. "Anyway, when he left it broke my sister's heart, it broke her spirit and she never spoke of him again. She was never the same, even after Allie came. Even though she loved Allie with all her heart. So a few years later when she got sick, there was no fight in her and she passed away," Nathan spoke the words quietly, another painful chapter in his life.

"And that's when you stepped in and raised Allie," Elizabeth finished, just now realizing the responsibility of what Nathan had done. Why, he must have been still a young man himself, so young to assume such a responsibility.

Nathan nodded. "Elizabeth, I am telling you all this so you have a full understanding. A full understanding of what my family is like. I'm telling you all this so you have the full story when you make your choice," he said, finally reaching the point.

"My choice about what?" Elizabeth asked, her brow furrowing.

"The choice to continue with this," he waved a hand between them. "With us."

"Nathan!" Elizabeth said, well and truly shocked now. Shocked that Nathan would think she would end things between them because of the situations with his family. Things he had had no control over, that weren't his fault. And that he had done whatever he could to remediate, including taking on the raising of his niece.

"Elizabeth, you have your own reputation to think of," Nathan was outlining the facts to her shocked face. "You're a highly respected teacher. To be associated with me and my family...well, it affects you too," he said, knowing the gossip and ill-talk would touch her as well, the fact his father was a criminal. It was one of the reasons he had forced himself not to act upon his feelings for her sooner. Because he knew his life was one of darkness and that she deserved someone who brought lightness. Lightness and laughter. Someone like Lucas. But then she had cried there that day near the rowhouses and on impulse he had kissed her and suddenly it seemed like there was hope. Hope that his past didn't define his future and that maybe...maybe...Nathan shook his head. But it wasn't fair to her now. It wasn't fair to Elizabeth now that all this had come out about his father. And maybe more would come out one day too. So he had to give her the choice.

"Nathan, I can tell you right now that nothing you have said has changed my feelings in any way," Elizabeth was saying, already knowing her answer. It was no less than Nathan might have expected. Elizabeth was a loyal person, it was an admirable trait, but he wouldn't use it against her now.

"Elizabeth, I'm asking you to think it over. At least tonight," Nathan said. "Please just think it over tonight before you give me an answer," he pleaded.

Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Alright, Nathan, if you think I need to."

Nathan nodded. "I do. You can let me know tomorrow. And if...if you find you can't tell me in person, I will understand," he said, knowing that perhaps a decision in the negative would be difficult to deliver in person, and more than anything he wanted to make this easier for her. "So if you can't tell me in person, a note will do, or some other way to let me know," he said. "I will understand."

"Nathan," there was a pleading tone in Elizabeth's voice, that he was even thinking this way, that he even doubted her love. True, they had not yet spoken of love, of the truly deep feelings, but surely he must know, didn't he?

"I'll say goodnight now, Elizabeth," Nathan said with a brief nod, then got up from the porch, Elizabeth's eyes following him as he disappeared into the darkness.


	26. Chapter 26

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 26

Elizabeth thought over Nathan's posit as he had instructed, but maybe not in the way he imagined. He had wanted her to think about whether she wanted to be associated with him now that his father's criminal activity was exposed. But instead she thought about what he had told her of his upbringing. How he'd lost his mother so young, how his father had been harsh as a parent, how he'd been raised with little love, how he'd lost his sister and how he had taken on the responsibility for his niece when he was still a young man himself. She thought of the love and tenderness he'd displayed in raising Allie, showing her the love and kindness he'd been denied as a child. She thought about how he'd chosen to become a Mountie, a profession to help others, to serve his country, and how he had chosen in essence to be the complete opposite of the man who'd raised him.

And none of it was something she wanted to disassociate from. In fact, hearing it all only reinforced her admiration for him. And if others were critical of him because of things out of his control then that was their problem, not Nathan's and not hers. So her decision was already made and the time he'd asked her to take only strengthened it. Now she just had to find a way to tell him. She remembered Nathan had suggested a note, or some other way if she found it too difficult face-to-face. Elizabeth thought on it as her mind worked an idea.

Nathan Grant approached his office that morning feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. His father was still in town and showed no signs of leaving anytime soon. The townsfolk continued to gossip about the situation, and he knew that things could not continue this way for long, that sooner or later they would come to a head. And then there was Elizabeth. Elizabeth who had promised to give him an answer today about their personal situation. Although he desperately hoped for one outcome, he would not blame her for the other. He knew it was a lot to ask of her to overlook the potential damage to her own reputation.

As Nathan entered his office, a splash of yellow colour on his desk caught his eye. He approached and saw it was a small vase of yellow flowers and instantly recognized them. Coreopsis. The same as the one he had given Elizabeth that day because of her book, because she had mentioned them in a passage in her book. Had she...? Had she picked the same ones for him now? She must have. Who else would have put flowers on his desk? In any case, it was a strange sight to see a vase of flowers in his formal Mountie office. As he stood staring dumbfound at the sight, a voice came from behind him.

"I thought the coreopsis could answer for me," Elizabeth said simply, as Nathan spun around to see her in the doorway. "You said I could answer in another way if I wanted," she reminded him. "You remember you gave me a coreopsis once?" she said, and Nathan nodded. "So I'm giving them back to you ten-fold today. Nathan, I'm not going anywhere. I don't care what kind of man your father is. I care about what kind of man you are," she told him. "And that man is one I'm proud to know, and proud to be with," she said simply.

Nathan's jaw tightened at her words as he swallowed hard and blinked a few times, trying to control his thoughts and emotions as more than relief washed over him. He took two lengthy strides towards Elizabeth and reached for her hand, pulling her roughly into his arms. As he hugged her, and she hugged him, he spoke the only words that needed to be said.

"Thank you, Elizabeth."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Allie, I want you to stay home," Nathan instructed to his niece later that day, after school had let out. Allie had wanted to go out to play with her friends, but Nathan knew that now was not a good time. That if he hoped to keep her away from her grandfather that it was best she stay home, at least for now.

"But why?" Allie wailed unhappily.

"You know why," Nathan replied quietly. They'd had this discussion already. Allie already knew about her grandfather and Nathan's position.

As Allie continued to pout, Nathan realized it was time. Time to tell her the full story. If he hoped to protect her from her grandfather, she had to understand the whole story. "Allie, come here," he coaxed her over to him, then pressed her into a chair opposite from him as they sat sitting face to face.

"Allie, I'm going to tell you some things because I need to protect you, and you need to understand why," he began. At Allie's inquiring look, Nathan continued, "Allie, your grandfather is not a good person. And I don't just mean because he's been in prison," he forestalled Allie's objection. Allie had already spoken of her grandfather doing his time and that maybe he had changed, much like Elizabeth had done, but Nathan knew there was more to it. Nathan hesitated as he sought the right words. "When I was a little boy, your grandfather hurt me," Nathan said carefully.

"Hurt you? How?" Allie asked, puzzled now.

"With his words, with his fists, with anything he could lay his hands on," Nathan replied truthfully. "Do you understand what I'm saying, Allie?" Nathan asked, wondering if Allie would understand what abuse was, what physical abuse was. "And you don't do that to people you're supposed to love. To people you're supposed to protect," Nathan said.

Allie mulled her uncle's words, beginning to understand. Beginning to understand and to make connections. "Did he...did he hurt my mother too?" she asked.

Nathan swallowed at the mention of his sister. He'd gone this far, he could not deny any more truths. Slowly he nodded. "I tried to protect her, Allie. I tried to protect your mother, but I was just a little kid too," he told her, the pain rearing afresh at his failures to protect his sister more than he had, even though he often bore the brunt of his father's anger in his attempts to shield her. "Allie, when your mother passed away and it was just me and your grandfather left, I kept you with me Allie. I kept you with me so he wouldn't be the one to raise you. So you wouldn't have to go through what your mother and I did. Do you see Allie? Can you see that I'm just trying to protect you?" he asked, trying to make her understand. Understand why he was keeping her home, away from her grandfather and that it wasn't just because he had been in prison, just because he had cheated people out of their money, that it went much deeper than that.

Allie was nodding. She understood. She was a bright girl and she understood. And there was some other things she was beginning to understand too. "Did grandpa...did grandpa make those marks on your back?" she asked him.

Nathan's eyes grew wide. How did Allie know about those? "Allie, how...?" he tried to ask.

"I saw them once, when you were changing your shirt," she said. "Did grandpa do that?" she asked.

Nathan's jaw clenched in pain and remembrance. She would know it all now. Allie would know it all. The full extent of her grandfather's cruelty, his violence. Slowly, Nathan nodded his head, affirming the truth of those scars, the welts on his back, delivered by his father during one particularly violent episode.

Suddenly Allie flung herself out of her chair, throwing herself at her uncle and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm glad you're there to protect me, Uncle Nathan," she cried, fully understanding now.

Nathan brought his arms around his niece in return. "So am I, Allie. And I always will be," he promised.


	27. Chapter 27

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 27

As Nathan and Allie walked past the mercantile the next day, Allie tugged on his arm. "Please Uncle Nathan, can I go get some candy?" she pleaded.

"Allie, I don't have time right now," her uncle replied, just as Allie spotted Mrs. Thornton inside the doors.

"Mrs. Thornton is there," Allie said. "Can I go in while she's there? I promise to stay with her," Allie pleaded.

Nathan sighed. He supposed it would be alright, if Allie stayed with Elizabeth. Besides he couldn't really keep her under lock and key forever. "Alright," he agreed. "But make sure you stay with Mrs. Thornton and then come home right after," he instructed, and handed her a nickle, as Allie nodded happily, then bounded to head into the mercantile. Nathan turned in the direction of his office.

"Oh hello, Allie," Elizabeth greeted the young girl at her entrance into the mercantile.

"Hello, Mrs. Thornton," Allie dutifully replied. "My uncle said I could come in and get some candy as long as I stayed with you," Allie informed her. Elizabeth knew that Nathan didn't want his niece interacting with her grandfather so she understood Allie's statement. She was just finishing up her own shopping and could certainly stay while Allie picked out her candy.

"That's fine, Allie, what kind of candy are you going to get?" she smiled the question.

"Jawbreakers! They're the best!" Allie enthused. As the two leaned forward to eye the jars of brightly coloured candy, they didn't notice the tall older man who entered the store. But Ned, the shopkeeper, did, and he caught Elizabeth's eye as he inclined his head towards the door.

Elizabeth turned to see Silas Grant just inside the mercantile doors. She had seen him around town already, but had never spoken to him, not having been introduced to him by Nathan or anyone else.

Silas Grant spotted the woman next to his granddaughter and he approached the pair, as Allie now looked over too to see what Mrs. Thornton was looking at. Immediately she too recognized the man and she stiffened in reaction.

"You're Allie, aren't you?" the man said as he drew up to the pair, as he eyed the child up and down.

Allie nodded politely but something in her manner and reaction to the man alarmed Elizabeth.

"I'm your grandfather," Silas said what Allie already knew. "Seems like your uncle doesn't want me around you," he said bitterly. "Me, your own grandfather. Well, I'll not let him or anybody else stop me for doing what I want," he said with something of a challenge in his voice. "How about you and I get to know each other better? How about lunch at the cafe? Surely your uncle can't object to that," he said, perhaps unaware that Nathan would indeed object to that. That he would object very strongly.

But as her grandfather spoke, Allie had reached a hand to Elizabeth's arm and was now squeezing it tightly. Elizabeth realized instinctively that Allie was frightened...frightened of her grandfather. She didn't quite understand it, but she knew Allie was asking for help, her help.

"Mr. Grant, I'm Mrs. Thornton, Allie's teacher," she quickly introduced herself. "Allie promised to come to my house today and help me out with a few things. Perhaps you could have lunch another day," she made the suggestion.

Silas Grant merely grunted at her, then he turned and strode from the store. Allie visibly slumped in relief at his departure.

"Allie, pick out your candy and then let's go. You're coming home with me," Elizabeth said. She hadn't liked that she's just lied to Silas Grant, she didn't like lying to anyone, so she would bring Allie home with her. At least that way there would be some truth to what she'd said.

A few moments later as the pair made they way to Elizabeth's rowhouse, a small paper bag of candy in Allie's hand, Elizabeth brought it up as the pair walked side by side. "Allie, you were frightened of your grandfather back there, weren't you?" she asked.

From the corner of her eye Elizabeth could see Allie nodding at her side. Elizabeth stopped and turned to face Allie. "But why?" she asked. "I know...I know he was in prison, but why are you frightened of him?" she asked, wondering at Allie's strong reaction, her aversion to the man.

"It's because of what he did to Uncle Nathan," Allie replied truthfully.

"What did he do to Uncle Nathan?" Elizabeth asked. What did Silas Grant do? Other than be a harsh parent and a swindler who'd ended up in jail.

"It's because he put those marks on Uncle Nathan's back when he was a little boy," Allie informed her. Elizabeth's eyes grew wide.

"What marks?" she asked. What marks could Allie possibly mean.

"The scars," Allie said. "Uncle Nathan said grandpa put those scars on his back," she said.

Elizabeth sucked in her breath, finally understanding. Possibly it was because she had been protected all her life from such things, from even knowing such things happened, that it shocked her now to realize the extent of Nathan's "harsh" upbringing. "Allie...Allie, I don't know if you should be telling me all this," she was hesitant now, not sure Nathan would want her to know, that it was almost beyond comprehension anyway.

"Did I...did I do something wrong?" Allie asked, worried now she had spoken out of turn.

"No, it's fine," Elizabeth said, patting Allie's hand reassuringly. "Let's get on home," she said as the pair turned to resume their walk.

It was later that day that Elizabeth spotted Nathan striding down the pathway in front of the rowhouses and she went out to intercept him.

"Nathan, Allie is at my house," she told him.

"Why? What's wrong?" Nathan was immediately on the alert.

"Nothing's wrong," Elizabeth said. "But I think you should know, though, that her grandfather came into the mercantile while we were there. He wanted to take Allie to the cafe, said he wanted to get to know her," Elizabeth informed him.

"And?" Nathan ground the word out, not liking the sounds of this.

"And I told him Allie had promised to help me today, so we came here," Elizabeth summed up.

Nathan let out a breath of relief. "Thank you, Elizabeth," he said, grateful that she had intervened, but knowing too that this was the one step that would force the issue with his father. There was no more wait and see about it. His father had done the one thing to force his hand. The one thing he could not ignore.

He had tried to get to Allie.


	28. Chapter 28

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 28

Nathan Grant stood in his father's room at the Queen of Hearts hotel, his expression grim. "I think it's time you got going," he told his father in no uncertain terms. He'd come to find him, come to find his father after he learned from Elizabeth that he'd tried to get to Allie. And that was the one thing Nathan could not tolerate. So he stood now in Silas Grant's hotel room, telling him it was time for him to go.

"Why? Why do I have to leave just because you say so?" Silas Grant challenged in return. "Just because you're a Mountie you think you can act all high and mighty?"

"High and mighty?" Nathan asked incredulous. "You think that's what being a Mountie is about?" he asked. Maybe he shouldn't have expected anything else. That anyone else would be proud to have a son that was a Mountie, but not his father. His father only derided what he thought was an attempt to act superior. "Why did you come here anyway?" Nathan asked. Surely there was nothing here for his father.

"Where else was I going to go?" Silas Grant asked bitterly. "I've got no money, no work, no house...where else was I going to go?"

"No money..." Nathan trailed off, eyeing his father. Then how was he paying for this hotel room? "But why come here? There were thousands of other places to go. Why here?" Nathan persisted. His father must have known that Nathan wanted nothing to do with him, so why even come here? But then something niggled in Nathan's mind about the "high and mighty" dig his father had made. And why had his father made such a point of telling everyone who he was and that he'd been in prison? It was almost as if...as if...

"You came here to hurt me, didn't you?" he said, with the sudden realization. "To damage my reputation in this town. That's it, isn't it?" Nathan said now with certainty. That a man who'd spent a lifetime hurting other people would not suddenly stop, especially not the son he'd hurt more than anyone else.

"I came here to see what you'd made of yourself," Silas Grant brushed off his son's observation, one that hit too close to home with its accuracy. "And what I see is that you're still soft and weak. Just like you always were," he said with derision.

Nathan inhaled. "That is your opinion, but it is wrong," he countered. This, this was the father he knew. Using his words to deride, to harm. "And I'm not a child anymore. Your words, and your fists can't hurt me anymore," he told his father. "So it's time to leave," he said flatly.

"Where am I to go?" his father shot back. "I have no money!" he almost yelled the words. He had no money and no means to get any, not since the law had curtailed his one money-making venue and he knew it would be a lifetime in jail if he tried that route again.

Nathan sighed deeply, now knowing there was one way to get his father to leave. "Fifty dollars. Fifty dollars a month," Nathan said. "It's enough to live on. I'll send it to you every month, but you stay away from Hope Valley. If I ever see or hear from you again, the money stops," he laid out the offer. He knew too, that he would have to pay Lucas for his father's hotel bill, that he wouldn't let his father stiff Lucas for that either.

Silas Grant eyed his son, knowing his offer was the best he was going to get. Slowly he began to nod. Seeing his father's acceptance of his offer, Nathan made one more final stipulation.

"And if you ever come near Allie again, if you get within a mile of her, I will kill you," the words were cold, said with emphasis on the last four words, each syllable a staccato, his gaze fierce and unwavering and Silas Grant, about to scoff at the threat, suddenly felt a chill go down his spine. This was no idle threat his son had made. Thinking better of deriding his son now, he delivered one final nod, before Nathan spun on a heal and turned from the room.

It was a few hours later that Nathan stood watching from a distance as his father boarded the stagecoach. He stood leaning against a pillar, just as he had on his arrival, only now instead of his stomach held tightly in a knot he felt nothing but relief.

Relief as he watched the coach pull out of Hope Valley and his father with it.


	29. Chapter 29

.

.

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 29

It was a few nights later, when things had returned to normal, that Nathan and Elizabeth sat out on her front stoop as was their custom. The front door was ajar so Elizabeth would hear Little Jack if he awoke and Allie was sleeping over at Emily's house. The pair sat quietly together, deep in conversation. Nathan had explained to Elizabeth all that had transpired with his father, and his sincere hope that his father had left for good.

"I'm sorry about all this," Nathan was saying about the unpleasantness with his father the past several weeks. "Things might...things might still be difficult for a while," he conceded, knowing that some of the townsfolk had doubts about him now, knowing about his father's criminal background. Doubts about him and his suitability to be a Mountie.

"Nathan, everyone I know knows that you are a good man, a good Mountie," Elizabeth countered. "And those that don't, well, they will come around soon I'm sure. You have done nothing but good things for this town. You have been very protective of us," Elizabeth said, just now realizing the source and depth of Nathan's protectiveness. "You are nothing like your father," she told him. "You are kind, and gentle, and patient and loving," she rhymed off in praise.

Nathan sat quietly, taking in her words. For a long time, words had been hurtful things in his life, the basis rooted in his childhood, but Elizabeth's words were different. She had a gift for them, he knew, a gift for writing, but there was this too. The ways she used her words like she did now, as a soothing balm over the cracks of his hurting heart. And he had never heard the ones she spoke of now in relation to himself before. But it was almost as if they must be so, they must be true, because she said they were.

"Thank you, Elizabeth," he said, looking over to her and swallowing hard, more than gratitude in his eyes. He went to set his coffee cup down and winced a little at the pain in his shoulder. It was an old injury, and the night air had set it to aching.

"Is your shoulder bothering you again?" Elizabeth asked, immediately recognizing the tell-tale signs, even though Nathan had tried to mask it.

"No, it's fine," Nathan denied the pain. Elizabeth made a harumph sound, then got up and disappeared into the house a moment. When she returned she held a small pan in her hands, a white cloth and a bottle of liniment. Nathan's eyes grew wide as she sat down beside him.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"What does it look like I'm going to do?" she asked.

"Elizabeth, you can't!" he exclaimed, shocked now. She couldn't put liniment on his shoulder.

"Why not?" Elizabeth countered.

"You know why not," Nathan breathed quietly. It wasn't proper. They weren't married, not even engaged. She could not do something so...intimate...to him.

Elizabeth struggled a moment herself, propriety at war with wanting to help, to ease his pain. "Well, you can't put it on yourself," she said with practicality. He couldn't reach there, behind his shoulder. "You don't have to take your shirt off, just take the one arm out," she said. Maybe that would be a compromise to his objections?

Still Nathan hesitated and Elizabeth took a deep breath to add, "If you're worried I'll see your scars, I already know about them," she said matter-of-factly, looking to meet Nathan's startled eyes. "Allie told me," she informed him.

Nathan's jaw worked a second. "Seems like Allie tells you everything," he noted.

Elizabeth nodded. "She does. She confides in me," Elizabeth said.

Nathan sighed. He was glad of that. Glad Allie had someone to confide in, someone she felt safe enough to do that with and especially if that someone was Elizabeth. And if he and Elizabeth were on this path that he thought they were, then someday she would see his scars. She would see them then. So maybe it was better to get it over with now. Slowly Nathan nodded his head. He drew the suspender from the arm closest to Elizabeth down over his shoulder then began to unbutton his shirt, as Elizabeth turned to place the bowl, cloth and liniment bottle just behind them. As Nathan maneuvered his arm out of his sleeve, Elizabeth reached to hold the edge of his shirt and then let it drape down over his back as she tilted her head to look at his arm and shoulder. Much of his back was hidden but Elizabeth could still see them. Fine lines criss-crossed randomly on his skin, one particularly thick and jagged one curling up and over his shoulder. She tried not to show any reaction, but it was difficult, difficult to think of anyone doing this to a child.

As Elizabeth silently inspected his scars, Nathan stared straight ahead, his jaw clenched. He felt Elizabeth reach a finger out to touch one of his scars, to run her finger along its length, and he closed his eyes against the tenderness of her touch, such tenderness in a place he had only ever known pain. And then he felt it. The featherlight touch of her lips there, and his breath caught painfully. He turned his head away, his emotions roiling inside him as he averted his face from hers.

Elizabeth had leaned in to kiss the scar on Nathan's shoulder almost out of instinct for hers was a heart made to soothe a hurting child and she could not resist even this long-ago one. She looked up to see Nathan avert his head and she reached a hand to the far side of face, pulling his eyes back to hers. "No, Nathan," she said. "Don't turn away. Don't turn away from love," she told him softly, the words carried to him on a whisper, her eyes deep pools of the very love she spoke of.

And then Nathan saw it too. Saw the love in her eyes and now it was his turn. His turn to act on instinct, unable to resist the draw of her sweetness, her tenderness, her love. He leaned forward and brought his lips to hers, this, their second kiss, so very different from their first. For as much tenderness as Elizabeth had shown to him, he now returned to her as his mouth lightly played over hers and he brought a hand to the side of her face, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. A moment later, they pulled back, and their eyes locked for a time, knowing an important moment had passed between them. Elizabeth gave a slight nod, then turned to reach for the liniment, and began to work the lid loose.

"Now you tell me if I hurt you," she said, wanting Nathan to tell her if she hurt his shoulder when she applied the liniment. But Nathan understood a deeper meaning to her words, and he would reply in kind. That unlike his father, this was someone he could put his faith in, his trust in, and so he told her so. He met and held her gaze as he spoke the words, certain of their truth.

"Don't worry, Elizabeth. You won't hurt me."


	30. Chapter 30

_._

_._

And the Heart is Brave

Chapter 30

"Well, I'm glad things are back to normal," Rosemary Coulter said to her friend as they sat sipping tea in her rowhouse. "It must have been very difficult for Nathan with his father here," she opined.

"It was," Elizabeth conceded. She had told Rosemary some of the things between Nathan and his father, but not all of it. Some of it was Nathan's private business and she would not divulge all of it, even to her best friend. But Rosemary understood that things had been difficult. And that things were harder now for Nathan as a Mountie too. Some of the townsfolk had become less trusting and less certain of him now that the information about his father had come to light.

"But you know Lee and I totally support Nathan," Rosemary was saying. "The stuff about his father makes no difference to us," she said.

"Thank you, Rosemary," Elizabeth said. "I appreciate that. And so does Nathan."

"So...speaking of Nathan," Rosemary slightly changed the topic. "How are things going there?" she asked with a knowing smile.

"Things are good...things are fine," Elizabeth prevaricated.

"And...?" Rosemary prompted.

"And I think...I think I may have told him I loved him," Elizabeth stammered as Rosemary's eyes grew wide.

"What do you mean...you think?" how was it possible to only "think" you told someone you loved them.

Elizabeth thought back to the moment. When Nathan had showed her his scars. And she'd said _don't turn away from love_. That was when. She hadn't really meant to say it, it had just come out, it was something that had felt right and natural to say so she had. And of course, nothing was ever clear cut and direct with Nathan, she was discovering that. So was it any wonder that her proclamation had been a bit obscure too. "Well..."Elizabeth said. "We were talking and I may have said something about 'love'," she explained.

"And did Nathan say 'something about love' in return?" Rosemary asked.

"Not in so many words," Elizabeth said. No, he had kissed her instead. A very sweet, very tender kiss. But there had been no words spoken in return. But that didn't mean he didn't feel the same way she did. She could tell. She could tell from his kiss that he did. At Rosemary's inquiring look, she added, "I'm sure he will, when the time is right. I'm sure he will," she said in a reassuring voice, either for Rosemary or herself, she wasn't sure.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was a week later and Elizabeth was scrambling around inside her rowhouse getting ready. Today was the town picnic and they were going together...her, Nathan, Allie and Little Jack. Elizabeth knew the town knew about her and Nathan, knew they were courting, knew they spent a lot of time together, but going to the town picnic together...well, that definitely made things official.

As she filled her picnic basket, there was a light rap on the door. Elizabeth opened it to find Nathan and Allie on her doorstep. Nathan was dressed in a cream coloured shirt and he wore suspenders over his dark trousers. Although the look was mostly casual, he wore a string tie at his collar signifying the specialness of the occasion. Allie was dressed in a pretty blue dress, her hair worn down but a section from each side pulled back and tied at the back of her head.

"Nathan! Allie!" Elizabeth exclaimed lightly. She was dressed in her favourite pink skirt, a lacy white blouse up top. "You're a little early. I'm just finishing packing the basket," she said. There would be sandwiches, and pie, and hard-cooked eggs with a cream filling, and potato salad, and cold fried chicken and several large mason jars of lemonade. Elizabeth beckoned the pair inside as she scrambled to finish filling the basket...well, actually it was two baskets as it didn't all fit into just one. Little Jack, sensing the fun afoot, had taken to running around the room, a stuffed toy in his hand, squealing in delight at his own made-up game, and as Elizabeth darted from place to place in her preparations she occasionally skidded to a stop to prevent herself from colliding with her son when their paths intersected.

"I'm sorry things are a little chaotic," Elizabeth called over her shoulder as she apologized to Nathan. She'd had a time of it today getting Little Jack ready, he'd been a real handful, he in his brown pants, white shirt and miniature sized suspenders, and it had put her behind in preparing the picnic baskets. She had told Nathan to leave it to her, that she wanted to prepare the basket for the outing today. Knowing his cooking she thought it was a wise offer. And she had to admit, even though things had gotten a bit out of hand and chaotic, she had enjoyed it. There was something about the idea of them all going off on this adventure together that she found exciting. So what if it was just a church picnic, it still felt exciting to her.

"Please, Elizabeth, take your time," Nathan was saying. "Can we help at all?" he asked.

"You can put that one basket in the wagon. It's ready to go," she told him. They were taking a buckboard to the picnic. It was a distance away and it would be easier than carrying Little Jack and the baskets the whole way.

"Right," said Nathan, reaching for a basket on the table, before Elizabeth forestalled him.

"Not that one, the other one," she corrected with authority, when he reached for the wrong one.

The corner of Nathan's mouth lifted in a smile. "Right," he said again, getting used to her orders.

As Nathan took the correct basket outside, Elizabeth finished packing the one remaining on the table. She looked around her, running her hands down her skirt, trying to think if she'd remembered everything. Suddenly she spotted Allie waiting patiently by the door. Allie in her pretty blue dress. "Allie, I have a hair ribbon the same colour as your dress. Would you like to wear it? I can go get it," Elizabeth offered.

Allie's eyes lit up. She liked this. She liked when Mrs. Thornton fussed over her, like she was doing now. "Yeah! Sure!" she replied enthusiastically.

Elizabeth smiled, then reached into a nearby drawer and pulled out a robin's egg blue ribbon which was, in fact, the same colour as Allie's dress. She approached Allie, then reached her hands to Allie's arms to spin her around as she began to tie the ribbon into the knot of hair at the back of Allie's head. When Nathan reappeared a moment later, Elizabeth silently tilted her head to the other basket on the table, and he did as he was bid, carrying it out to the waiting wagon, returning just as Elizabeth was finishing up with the ribbon in Allie's hair.

"There now," Elizabeth said, turning the girl around and smoothing her hair from the front. "A pretty ribbon for the girl with the pretty hair," she smiled as Allie beamed at the praise. "Now, could you take Little Jack outside with you and watch him a minute till we're ready?" she asked, as Allie nodded happily. Elizabeth laughed as Allie went to get Little Jack, watching as the girl chased her son for a moment as he raced around the room before she caught up to him. My, but Little Jack was a handful today, Elizabeth shook her head, then watched Allie pick the child up and carry him outside.

Elizabeth looked over at Nathan, who was looking askance at Elizabeth, wondering if there was anything else for him to do. "You," Elizabeth pointed at him and then at a spot not far away. "Over there and wait," she ordered. Nathan's eyes widened. Had she just ordered him to stand in a spot and wait? Not quite understanding, he moved to do as she'd commanded, then watched as Elizabeth turned and pulled open a drawer. She reached inside and pulled out a fabric-padded box. She lifted the lid and retrieved a button and a threaded needle from inside.

"You're missing a button," she told him as she came over to him. Nathan quickly looked down at his shirt, just now noticing the gaping spot.

"I guess I am," he conceded. "I knew a button was loose. I didn't know it had fallen off," he noted.

Elizabeth tried to contain her smirk. "You knew it was loose but you didn't think to fix it?"

"Hey, I was hoping it would hold. I try to be optimistic when I can," he teased, the corner of his mouth lifting into a crooked smile.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Optimistic, my eye," she teased with a scoff. They were smiling at each other now before Elizabeth glanced back down to his shirt. "Now hold still," she commanded.

"Elizabeth, you don't have to..." Nathan began to protest. She didn't have to do this. This...fussing over him. She'd just finished fussing over Allie with that hair ribbon and now here she was fussing over him.

"I said hold still!" Elizabeth said again, more of an order this time. She looked up at him and held up the sewing needle between her thumb and index finger, rotating it around a few times for effect. "I'm holding a weapon, Nathan Grant, and I won't be responsible for what happens if you don't hold still!" she threatened with mock severity.

Nathan did the only thing he could. He held still and uttered a mumbled "Yes, Ma'am."

Elizabeth hid a smile, pleased with herself, then got to work affixing the button. It didn't take long, a few passes of the needle through his shirt and button, then she knotted off the end and reached for a small pair of scissors to nip the thread. "There," she said at the completion. "I'm _optimistic _that will hold," she couldn't resist saying as Nathan turned his head a tad to squint at her. Seems like she was getting the best of him, as usual. Thinking better of it than to counter her claim, Nathan merely smiled and said, "Thank you, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth nodded, then reached for her shawl. "Let's go," she said, heading out the door as Nathan followed, closing the door behind him.

At the wagon, Elizabeth took Little Jack from Allie's arms, waiting until Allie had climbed up onto the wagon seat, with Nathan assisting his niece. Then Elizabeth lifted her small son up to stand just in front of the bench and Allie reached her arms over to hold him still. Now it was Elizabeth's turn to climb the wagon, as she drew up her skirts with one hand and used the other to clasp the side of the wagon. Nathan reached his hands to her sides just above her waist to give her an extra boost up and a small jolt coursed through Elizabeth at his touch, a slight inhalation of breath the only outward sign of his affect on her. Once up at the wagon seat, Elizabeth immediately reached for her son, then sat beside Allie and pulled her son onto her lap. Finally Nathan untied the horses' reigns from the post, and brought them back with him, laying them over the horses' backs, before he too climbed the wagon and sat next to Elizabeth. He turned to look to make sure everyone was ready, seated properly, the picnic baskets loaded securely behind them, then he gently rapped the reigns on the horses' backs and they began their trek to the picnic spot.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Nathan didn't know quite when it had begun, but at some point during the picnic he had begun to watch Elizabeth. From his spot sitting on the picnic blanket, his back against a tree and his legs straight in front of him and his arms and ankles casually crossed, assorted picnic offerings surrounding him and his belly replete, he watched her.

Little Jack had fallen and he ran to his mother holding his palms out to her. Elizabeth brushed the dirt and pebbles from her son's palms, then bent to lightly kiss each one, before her son, satisfied with his mother's attentions, turned to run and resume his activity. Then a group of the school children came to her, wanting her to organize a game for them and she did so willingly and enthusiastically. Later, when Florence and Molly were bemoaning how quickly their pies had disappeared, Elizabeth had offered one of her own, one of several she had brought. And on and on it seemed to go. Elizabeth was here, there, and everywhere, always helpful and giving assistance. Always, always...giving. And it seemed she enjoyed it, seemed like she relished being helpful, but something niggled in Nathan's mind. Something he was just beginning to see, to be aware of. And he mulled on it long and hard that afternoon.

It was a tired group that trudged home that day. Back into the wagon, back to the rowhouses. The children were tired out from the day's activities and it was already growing dark when the buckboard pulled up in front of the rowhouses. As the weary group disembarked, this time in reverse order than they'd left, Elizabeth remarked, "I think I'd better get Little Jack straight to bed. He's already half-asleep." And it was true, the little boy was already nodding off in his mother's arms. "Allie, you come too," Elizabeth instructed. Allie was going to sleep over. They had plans to go fishing tomorrow, just Elizabeth and Allie, and they would be getting up very early in the morning. While Elizabeth took the children into the house, Nathan got to work unloading the wagon and bringing the now-emptied baskets inside. He watched Elizabeth usher the children up the stairs and then he waited.

It was a short while later than Elizabeth came slowly down the stairs. "I can't believe it, but they're both asleep," she said when she reached the bottom. "I guess all that running around really tired them out," she said.

"Elizabeth, are you sure it's okay for Allie to stay?" Nathan asked, wondering that she was doing even more now. More than what he'd seen today already.

"Nathan, it's fine, she's already asleep so she's no trouble. Plus we are going fishing tomorrow, remember? I promised I'd go with her and try it out. I've never fished before," Elizabeth said, her eyes twinkling. Allie was excited to show her her favourite activity and Elizabeth was game to give it a try.

There's another thing, Nathan thought. Another things she's doing for someone else. Nathan exhaled with his thoughts.

"Can I...can I do anything here for you tonight?" he asked, for some reason wanting to help, to do something to be helpful.

"No, everything's fine, Nathan," she told him with a smile. "Oh, you can take that basket with you. That one's yours," she pointed to one of the picnic baskets on the table, reminding him she had borrowed one of his baskets to pack.

Nathan nodded. "Okay," he said. He could tell Elizabeth was tired from the long day too and it was best he got going. He reached for the basket, then turned from the room, heading out the door as Elizabeth followed him down the steps. At the bottom, they stopped, and Elizabeth stood with her back to the railing with Nathan facing her.

"It was fun today, Elizabeth. Thank you for everything you did," Nathan told her, wanting to thank her but finding the words inadequate.

Elizabeth nodded. "I had fun too," she said simply. Nathan eyed her a moment then turned to leave. He only got three steps away when he turned to look back at her, still leaning against the railing as she watched him leave, and the thoughts niggled in Nathan's mind again. The ones from this afternoon. Suddenly, he leaned to the side to set the basket down.

"Nathan?" Elizabeth asked, wondering why he had stopped, why he was looking at her so oddly.

"Elizabeth, I watched you today," Nathan began as he took a deep breath. "I watched you take care of everyone. Allie, Little Jack, me," he said, touching his shirt where she'd sewn his button. "The children at the picnic, everyone. You helped everyone," he noted, as Elizabeth eyed him quizzically, wondering what this was all about. "And you were always so kind...so tender," he smiled at the word. "And I just...I just can't help thinking...," he said as walked a wide circle back in her direction, drawing closer as he finished his words. "I can't help thinking...who is caring for you? Who is tender with you?" he asked.

Elizabeth blinked at Nathan, not sure what he meant, but sensing he thought there was something amiss...that there was something she was lacking. "I'm alright, Nathan," she told him, trying allay whatever worry it was he had.

"Are you?" Nathan quickly countered. "Are you alright?" he said again. "Because everyone needs love and care and tenderness, Elizabeth," he said. "You most of all," he summed. Her most of all, after what she had been through. Her loss and her pain.

"Nathan, I..." Elizabeth trailed off, feeling something rise inside her, something she had tried to push down for a long time. It was as if Nathan was looking deep into her soul, deeper than anyone had in a very long time. And if she had seen his scars a week ago, it was like he was now seeing hers. The scars of her pain and loss. Nathan stood before her now, a breath apart, their eyes locked. Elizabeth swallowed. "Nathan, what are you saying?" she asked.

Nathan watched her a second with intensity, then replied, "This." He leaned towards her and brought his lips to her forehead in a tender kiss, held it a moment, then moved an inch away and pressed another beside the first. What was he doing? Elizabeth wondered. It was an assault on her senses, a tender assault and oh how gentle he was being. Elizabeth drew in a quick breath when next his lips pressed against her temple and she instinctively raised her face slightly to his and grew very still. He didn't touch her anywhere else, but she felt and knew only him, all of her senses tuned to him alone. She didn't notice the night air ruffling the hem of her skirt or the tendrils of her hair wafting on the breeze around her. It was only him she knew.

"Nathan, I..." Elizabeth tried again, trying to make sense of it all, but Nathan wouldn't let her.

"Shhhh," he quieted her. "Shhhh...I'm not finished being tender," he told her, explaining, as the kisses to her face continued, trailing over her cheek now. He let his kisses explain. That for so long Elizabeth had been giving to others, and that now it was her turn, her turn for the love and tenderness she gave to everyone else.

Finally, Nathan touched her. He brought a hand to the side of her face, his thumb on her cheek as his continued trailing gentle kisses across her face. To her brow next. Elizabeth's chest began to rise and fall with her breaths and she lowered her eyelids, accepting his gentle ministrations, And then she felt it there, a tender kiss on her closed eyelid and her chin trembled with some raw emotion, as a tear threatened then finally escaped from under her lashes to roll down her cheek.

Nathan felt the tear on his thumb and he brushed it away. "No tears. Elizabeth," he told her, his words a mere whisper and Elizabeth felt his breath on her face, soft and warm. "Not anymore," he said, the meaning clear. For a long while now there had been tears in her heart. The ones no one else saw, the ones that he did.

And then the words came. "Elizabeth," Nathan said softly between the kisses. "Elizabeth, I have love and tenderness I've been saving up my whole life," he told her. Then he pulled slightly away to look to her eyes, waiting for her to raise her own to his. "And they're yours. If you want them. If you'll let me," he simultaneously offered his love and waited for her permission to give it.

It was as if he offered himself as the sweet remedy to her pain and as Elizabeth searched his eyes she felt herself begin to slowly nod acceptance to him. It was then that Nathan's eyes traveled from hers to her lips and then he leaned in close once again and brought his mouth to hers. It was gentle and tender at first, as his other kisses had been, but then it soon deepened. Elizabeth felt herself lean into him, melt into him, and she raised herself higher on her toes and brought her hands up his chest, her palms flat, until her hands met each other behind his neck. Nathan brought his hand away from her face and reached it and his other arm around her back, pulling her tightly to him. He kissed her one way, then raised his head slightly to tilt the kiss in the opposite direction, his lips moving over hers, a gentle play of twisting, pressure, only to release slightly then press again, always giving, never far away. It was a moment later that Nathan reluctantly pulled away, one of them had to, and Elizabeth settled slowly back on her feet, reversing her palms down his chest. Nathan stood looking at her, not breaking his gaze, and slowly, very slowly, the corners of his mouth tugged into a tender smile that reached his eyes and he waited. Waited for her to return his smile, for her acknowledgement of what was now between them. It didn't take Elizabeth long to answer with a smile of her own, hers mirroring his, as it widened across her face, followed even by one or two eruptions of laughter. The kind that signified joy. And her eyes were bright as she gazed back him, bright with something that might have looked to be unshed tears, but were something else entirely.

Still smiling, Nathan took a step away, his hand travelling down her arm to her hand. He brought her hand to his face, then turned his head to kiss her palm. More serious now, he took more steps away, still holding her hand, until their arms were stretched out long before them and he finally released her hand. He leaned to the side, picking up the discarded picnic basket, then stood a moment watching her. Then he turned and left, the dark night air swallowing him up as he departed.

Elizabeth watched him go from her place standing at the bottom of the stairs. Slowly she brought her hand back to herself, and placed it flat to her belly as she took in a long, deep breath. Of course it had been like this, she thought. This was Nathan. This was his way. No grand gestures, no ardent declarations, just this simple offering of himself, of his love, with these simple words and actions.

Elizabeth took another steadying breath, then turned to the stairs, pulling up her skirts as she ascended, then opened the door. She entered her house and closed the door behind her.


End file.
